The State of Qatar, represented by the Ministry of Social Development and Family, will host the 42nd session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Housing and Reconstruction. Concurrently, the Sixth Arab Ministerial Forum on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development, held under the theme “Urban Sustainability: For the Future of Generations,” is scheduled to take place under the patronage of the Prime Minister from 14 to 16 December in Doha, at the level of Arab Ministers of Housing and Reconstruction.
In his address at the opening of the 42nd session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Housing and Reconstruction, His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Maliki, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Affairs at the League of Arab States, stated that convening the Council’s session in Doha reflects the effective mechanism adopted by the Council in holding its sessions, conferences, and forums annually in one of the Arab countries. This approach contributes to rotating the hosting of these activities on a regular basis among Arab states.
His Excellency also commended the efforts made by the Ministry of Social Development and Family in the State of Qatar and expressed his appreciation to all its staff for their dedicated work. He wished the Council’s session every success and expressed his hope that it would culminate in decisions that would accelerate the consolidation of Arab cooperation in the fields of housing and sustainable urban development.
The Sixth Arab Ministerial Forum on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development, held under the theme “Urban Sustainability: For the Future of Generations,” reflects the commitment of the Qatari leadership to supporting housing and sustainable urban development issues across the Arab region. It also demonstrates the strong determination of the Council of Arab Ministers of Housing and Reconstruction to ensure the continuity of the Arab Ministerial Forum on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development, as well as the positive engagement of Arab states in this important event. Such engagement aims to advance the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly Goal 11, which seeks to “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable,” and to follow up on the implementation of the action plan of the Arab Strategy for Housing and Sustainable Urban Development.
The 42nd session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Housing and Reconstruction will be held under the chairmanship of Her Excellency Ms. Buthaina bint Ali Al Jaber Al Nuaimi, Minister of Social Development and Family. The Council will consider a number of key agenda items, including cooperation with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat); progress in monitoring the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the executive plan of the Arab Strategy for Housing and Urban Development; cooperation with relevant Arab, regional, and international organisations and federations; notable experiences in social housing in Arab countries; pioneering housing and urban development projects in the Arab world; and the provision of technical support to the State of Palestine, the Republic of Yemen, and the Republic of Somalia for reconstruction efforts.
The meeting will also address the Arab Programme for Enhancing Urban Resilience to Reduce Multi-Hazard Disaster Risks, as well as a special agenda item on providing technical support to certain Arab countries in the area of training personnel in the housing and reconstruction sector.
