Bahrain, UN Habitat hold strategic meeting

Manama, Dec.7 (BNA): Bahrain's sustainable development achievements will be showcased at the 3rd UN Habitat Conference (Habitat III), which will be held in Quito, Ecuador, next year. This was announced this morning on the sidelines of the strategic partnership meeting between the Government of Bahrain and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT). The session highlighted the Government's achievements, chaired by His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa. Habitat III will offer member states an opportunity to discuss a New Urban Agenda that will focus on policies and strategies that can result in effectively harnessing the power and forces behind urbanization. The session cited the Scroll of Honour in Urban Development and Housing by UN-Habitat which was bestowed on HRH the Premier in 2006, in recognition of his dedicated efforts. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon presented the award to HRH the Premier who then launched the Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa Award for Human Settlements. The two sides noted the important results which were achieved for the Palestinian people thanks to Bahrain's support to the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT). Addressing the session, UN Assistant Secretary-General, (UN-HABITAT) deputy executive director Aisha Kirabo Kacyira hailed the Premier's role in spearheading sustainable development and turning Bahrain into a pioneering could. She stressed the Premier's support to UN-HABITAT as well as unwavering keenness on bolstering partnership with the Kingdom of Bahrain. She underlined Bahrain's crucial role in drafting the sustainable development goals, stressing the importance of strategic partnership meeting which reflects strong joint cooperation. Works, Municipalities and Urban Planning Minister Essam Abdulla Khalaf thanked HRH the Premier for his support, crediting UN-HABITAT cooperation with the Government of Bahrain. Housing Minister Basem bin Yacoub Al-Hamer underlined Bahrain's landmark strides which earned the Kingdom UN and international acknowledgement, stressing particularly the Government's keenness on enhancing citizens' living standards. "Bahrain has so far pumped $9 billion to construct 100,000 housing units which benefited 65 per cent (65%) of citizens over the past forty years. Foreign Ministry Undersecretary for International Affairs Dr. Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed bin Abdulla Al-Khalifa stressed Bahrain's keenness on bolstering partnership with the UN HABITAT. Tariq Al-Sheikh delivered a presentation under the theme: "History of the successful partnership between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the UN HABITAT", highlighting resulting achievements. A documentary film shedding light on cooperation between the two sides was also shown.