Second ‘Sustainable Smart Cities’ conference opens in Bahrain

Manama : Minister of Works, Municipalities and Urban Planning Affairs, Essam bin Abdullah Khalaf, yesterday opened the second Sustainable Smart Cities Conference with the participation of international experts from the Regional Office of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and other Bahraini experts in the field of smart applications and environmental sustainability. 

Tamkeen takes part in the conference as a strategic partner, in addition to other key sponsors, including Batelco, Diyar Al-Muharraq, Benefit Company and others.  One-hundred representatives from government and private sector organizations are also participating in the event.

The minister, in his speech, pointed out the significance of the conference, as it is part of the specialized ones hosted by Bahrain, where international and local expertise integrated in the interest of the national development process. 

He noted the ministry’s resolve to activate its Sustainable Green Buildings initiative, which was first launched as an action strategy in 2010 and being implemented in the new building projects of various ministries and government buildings implemented by the ministry. 

He pointed out the implementation progress of the program of improving efficiency of the use of resources and energy in government buildings, in cooperation with the Finance Ministry, Labor and Social Affairs Ministry, Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Ministry, Central Informatics Organisation and Bahrain Center for Strategic, International and Energy Studies. He talked about the ministry’s efforts to find solutions for traffic congestion by launching a package of projects and procedures. 

He attached great importance to the establishment of the comprehensive municipal center, which contributes to support the development process.