Her Excellency Ms. Amna bint Ahmed Al Rumaihi, Minister of Housing and Urban Planning, headed the delegation of the Kingdom of Bahrain participating in the work of the thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), which is hosted by the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, during the period from 17 to 22 May 2026, with broad international participation that includes leaders, decision-makers, experts and international institutions concerned with urban development and sustainable housing.
During the high-level ministerial session of the forum, Minister Amna Al Rumaihi delivered a speech by the Kingdom of Bahrain, in which she stressed that the Kingdom of Bahrain, under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the King of the country, may God protect and preserve him, and the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, may God protect him, continues its national efforts to provide housing services to citizens Pointing out that the government continues to implement the royal directive on accelerating the pace of housing projects and providing 50,000 housing units, including work paths, including ownership services projects in housing cities, implementing partnership projects with the private sector through the government land development rights program and the private land development rights program, as well as providing various financing options through the housing financing program provided by the ministry in cooperation with the Housing Bank With a focus on developing vital services and facilities to enhance the stability of Bahraini families and provide the elements of quality of life.
The Minister added that the Kingdom of Bahrain believes that providing adequate housing is an integrated development priority, a pillar of social stability and an engine for economic growth, stressing that these principles form an essential part of Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030 and the government's 2023-2026 programme, stressing that the Kingdom of Bahrain's approach in this area is based on developing flexible and innovative housing policies that link urban planning with the provision of services and infrastructure, while adopting policies aimed at providing immediate housing services Providing means of livelihood stability for Bahraini families.
The Minister of Housing and Urban Planning also stressed that the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain attaches great priority to the reconstruction sector and infrastructure development as a fundamental pillar for achieving sustainable urban development, pointing to the vital role of the urban planning sectors and municipalities in regulating land uses, improving the quality of municipal services, and creating integrated and more sustainable urban environments.
In the axis of resilient cities, the Minister reviewed the Kingdom's experience in dealing with the damage that affected a number of residential areas as a result of the recent heinous Iranian attacks, stressing that the Kingdom has demonstrated an advanced level of institutional readiness and efficient coordination between the various concerned parties, as repair and rehabilitation work was immediately initiated, and the government covered all restoration costs, in addition to providing alternative housing for the most affected cases This contributed to ensuring that families returned to their homes as quickly as possible. Her happiness stressed that this experience reflects the importance of building cities capable of withstanding challenges and crises, as this is a strategic necessity to protect citizens, preserve national gains, and enhance the sustainability of societal stability.
The Minister concluded her speech by emphasizing the Kingdom's commitment to continuing to develop its policies in the fields of housing, urban planning, infrastructure development, and strengthening its international partnerships, which contributes to building more sustainable and inclusive cities for future generations.
Her Excellency the Minister of Housing and Urban Planning also participated in the work of the "Women's Association" (Women Assembly) accompanying the World Urban Forum, which is one of the international platforms concerned with enhancing the role of women in shaping the future of cities and sustainable urban development, with the participation of an elite group of women leaders, decision-makers and experts from various countries of the world.
In her speech, Her Excellency the Minister pointed out that the Kingdom of Bahrain has moved from the stage of empowering women to the stage of full partnership in the national development process to achieve sustainable and comprehensive development, especially since Bahraini women enjoy continuous support from His Majesty the King of the country, may God protect and preserve him, and the directives of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, may God protect him In addition to the pioneering national efforts of the Supreme Council for Women, headed by Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, wife of His Majesty the King, President of the Supreme Council for Women, may God protect her.
She added that the Ministry is working to develop housing services that enhance family stability and ensure women's access to adequate housing in a fair and comprehensive manner. More than 6,555 women have benefited from housing services by 2025, including widows, divorcees, and female breadwinners, within policies that take into account different social circumstances and provide equal opportunities to access services, financing, and adequate housing. Special housing categories have also been developed to support the most needy women, including orphans, divorcees, widows, and foster women, while expanding eligibility criteria related to age and income, thus promoting equitable access to housing services.
In urban planning, Bahraini women are key partners in shaping the future of cities and communities. The task forces include 74 Bahraini engineers and planners who contribute to the implementation of housing and development projects, many of whom hold executive and supervisory positions in project management and urban planning. Women also made up 90% of the team that successfully planned all 96 unplanned areas in the Kingdom, covering an area of nearly 84 million square metres, in a move that contributed to enhancing urban sustainability, improving the quality of life and developing more organised and inclusive residential environments.
It is worth noting that the delegation of the Kingdom of Bahrain participating in the work of the Thirteenth World Urban Forum in Azerbaijan includes representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, the Ministry of Sustainable Development, the Supreme Council for the Environment, the Urban Planning and Development Authority, and the Housing Bank, within the framework of the national approach based on integrating government roles and strengthening institutional partnership in sustainable urban development files.
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