Under the patronage of Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, President of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, the 41st session of the Council of Arab Housing and Construction Ministers is convening from 17 to 19 December, hosted by Algeria's Ministry of Housing, Urban Planning, and the City. The session, held at the ministerial level, will take place alongside the Eighth Arab Housing Conference, titled “Sustainable Urbanism: Challenges and Promising Hopes”, in Algiers.
Ambassador Dr. Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Maliki, Assistant Secretary-General and head of the Economic Affairs Sector, underscored that convening the Council's session in the Algerian capital reflects the Council's well-established mechanism of rotating its meetings, conferences, and forums annually across Arab countries. This approach ensures equitable participation and promotes knowledge exchange within the region. His Excellency praised the diligent efforts of Algeria's Ministry of Housing, Urban Planning, and the City, commending the dedication of its personnel and expressing hope that the session will yield decisions that further enhance Arab cooperation in housing and sustainable urban development.
The Eighth Arab Housing Conference aims to highlight the role of governments, relevant sectors, and stakeholders in advancing housing and construction policies while assessing progress in implementing the New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals—particularly Goal 11, which focuses on creating sustainable, resilient, and inclusive cities. The conference will serve as a platform for dialogue to define standards for adequate housing, promote quality of life, and exchange insights on sustainable construction technologies, infrastructure development, and green building practices. Special emphasis will be placed on innovative, environmentally friendly materials and methods for achieving flexible and sustainable urban planning.
The 41st session of the Council, chaired by His Excellency Mr. Mohamed Tarek Belaribi, Algeria's Minister of Housing, Urban Planning, and the City, is addressing a range of critical issues. These include cooperation with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), progress in implementing the 2030 Global Sustainable Development Agenda and the Arab Strategy for Housing and Urban Development, and collaboration with Arab, regional, and international organisations, as well as Arab federations. The session will also spotlight pioneering Arab experiences in social housing, legislative frameworks governing the housing and construction sectors, and landmark housing and urban development projects across the region.
A dedicated agenda item will focus on technical support for Arab countries, particularly in training human resources in the housing and construction sectors. Moreover, the session will feature the inaugural Arab-Chinese Ministerial Meeting on Housing and Urban Development, which concluded with the issuance of the Algiers Declaration. This declaration encompasses various dimensions of cooperation between Arab nations and China, including the establishment of a continuous coordination mechanism to advance mutual interests in alignment with the outcomes of the Arab-Chinese Summit in Riyadh and the Arab-Chinese Cooperation Forum. The meeting represents a significant step in fostering strategic partnerships that serve the aspirations of the peoples and governments of the Arab world and China.
