Minister Housing signs executive cooperation agreement with Jordanian counterpart
Amman, Sep. 9 (BNA): Amna bint Ahmed Al Rumaihi, Minister of Housing and Urban Planning, signed an executive cooperation agreement on housing and urban planning with Maher Hamdi Tawfiq Abu Saman, Minister of Public Works and Housing and Chairperson of the Housing and Urban Development Corporation of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
The agreement aims to enhance bilateral cooperation and exchange expertise in housing and urban planning between the two countries.
The signing took place during a meeting at the Ministry of Public Works and Housing in Amman, attended by Shaikh Khalifa bin Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to Jordan; Ahmed Abdulaziz Al Khayyat, CEO of the Urban Planning and Development Authority; and Balsam Ali Al Salman, Assistant Undersecretary for Engineering Affairs.
The agreement focuses on sharing experiences and cooperation in various housing domains and urban planning. This includes exchanging knowledge on regulating the real estate market and involving the private sector in delivering social housing projects.
Minister Al Rumaihi said the agreement will enhance cooperation, enable the exchange of expertise, and benefit from Jordan’s advanced housing experience. She added that this aligns with Bahrain’s plans to improve housing services and develop infrastructure and urban areas.
During the meeting, the two ministers reviewed plans to provide housing services to citizens in both countries. They also discussed urban planning and development strategies and highlighted successful experiences in this sector.
Minister Al Rumaihi outlined plans to encourage private sector involvement in housing through the housing finance programme, which has provided thousands of housing services in recent years. She also described the government land development rights programme, which has accelerated housing unit delivery to beneficiaries.
Minister Al Rumaihi reviewed the progress of the Muharraq city development project, one of Bahrain’s largest urban initiatives. Multiple government bodies are involved in the project, which aims to revive historic areas while preserving their heritage. She noted it is a unique project and the team looks forward to completing the first phase to evaluate and apply positive results in future phases.
On his part, Minister Saman expressed pride in signing the agreement with Bahrain. He commended Bahrain’s growing urban development, particularly in social housing, reflecting ongoing government efforts to improve citizens’ welfare.
Additionally, Minister Al Rumaihi visited the historic city of Salt in Jordan. She reviewed restoration and development efforts to preserve the city’s heritage buildings and cultural identity. She noted that the Muharraq project shares similar goals and progress with the city’s heritage preservation.
During the visit, there was a discussion and exchange of experiences in conserving heritage cities. This supports the Muharraq development project, which follows the directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.
The Bahraini delegation commended Jordan’s success in preserving Salt as a heritage and archaeological city, which led to its inclusion in UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 2021.
