Housing and Urban Planning Undersecretary Chairs the 42nd Meeting of GCC Senior Housing Officials Committee

As part of the Kingdom of Bahrain’s presidency of the 46th session of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Ms. Fatima Ibrahim Al Mannai, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, chaired the 42nd meeting of the Committee of Senior Officials Concerned with Housing Affairs in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. The meeting was held via videoconference, with the participation of undersecretaries and senior officials concerned with the housing sector in GCC countries.

The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning affirmed the importance of continuing to strengthen joint GCC cooperation and coordination in the housing sector, and building on the joint efforts and initiatives achieved, in a manner that contributes to developing housing policies, programmes, and solutions, while supporting integration efforts and the exchange of expertise and successful experiences among GCC countries.

She noted the Kingdom of Bahrain’s keenness to support GCC efforts aimed at developing the housing work system, enhancing the efficiency and quality of housing services and solutions, and benefiting from distinguished experiences and practices among member states. She also highlighted the importance of employing modern technologies and digital transformation to support the sustainability of housing services and keep pace with economic, social, and urban changes.

She further emphasised the importance of strengthening partnerships with the private sector and financial institutions, in a way that contributes to developing diverse housing options and solutions, and expanding the scope of benefit from financing programmes and initiatives, thereby providing citizens with more options that meet their needs.

The meeting discussed a number of topics listed on the agenda, including the unified rules for owners of jointly owned properties in GCC countries, the joint GCC housing action plan for 2024-2030, and housing information databases.

The meeting also addressed matters related to the GCC Housing Award in its current edition, preparations for the fourth GCC Housing Week, including the organisation of the second edition of the Conference and Exhibition on Innovation in the Social Housing Sector and the GCC Hackathon. It also discussed the item concerning specialised conferences and workshops in the field of housing, as well as ways to highlight GCC housing work in regional and international forums.