Sustainable cities, waterfront connectivity planning announced

Manama : An interactive session on ‘Sustainable Cities and Waterfront Connectivity’ was hosted by the Urban Planning and Development Authority in coordination with the French embassy in Bahrain.

The event, in accordance with the royal guidelines for all state entities, was a reflection and a continuation of the Bahrain-French city planning initiative that followed the visit by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to France in 2015, and which resulted in the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between Bahrain and France Expertise to provide the necessary technical support for the implementation of the initiative, Shaikh Nayef bin Khaled Al Khalifa, CEO of the Urban Planning and Development Authority (UPDA), said.

The session included discussions moderated by Shaikh Nayef and was attended by undersecretaries, real estate development representatives, officials from Expertise France, the French embassy and UPDA and the media. 
“We are proud to encourage discussions in the best interest of the Kingdom through sustainable planning initiatives with the support of our partners in France. It is important to pave the way for a future that facilitates economic prosperity and a better lifestyle for the citizens and residents. We look forward to developers seizing this opportunity to ideate and unveil projects that support this planning and development,” Shaikh Nayef said.
In her speech, the French ambassador, Cécile Longé, shared France’s enthusiasm to partner with the Kingdom to pave the way for sustainable projects in the years to come. 

Sébastien Mosneron-Dupin, head of Expertise France, elaborated on their commitment to work with UPDA to support the development environment in Bahrain and facilitate more waterfront connectivity and encourage developers to focus on more sustainable cities that promote an improved way of living. This would enhance and uplift lifestyle in the nation with greener spaces that shift away from congested areas of concrete development. 
Officials discussed sustainable cities and their growth potential with positive influences on economic prosperity that would allow Bahrain to have a more strategic foresight towards the planning of the cityscape in the best interest of the citizens and residents.
The first interactive discussion, “Tools for Sustainable Cities”, focused on needs assessment to plan for more sustainable cities. The present ecosystem of planning and development in the country was reviewed followed by insights on the challenges and drawbacks before finally addressing the steps to be taken to achieve the goals in this strategic partnership with France. 
Shaikha Maram bint Isa Al Khalifa, Secretary General of National Initiative for Agricultural Development, shared insights on the importance of agriculture, green living and developing a supportive environment for society. 
She was joined in the discussion by Florence Laloe, Director for Operations, National Forestry Office (ONFI) and Nathalie Roseau, Associate Professor at the Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées. 

Participants in the second interactive session “Enhancement for Waterfront Connectivity” discussed guidelines for seamless connectivity and the importance of cohesiveness between developers. Discussions by participants, Aref Hejres, Chairman, Bahrain Property Development Association, Yves-Laurent Sapoval, Director for Habitat, Urbanism and Landscapes at the Ministry of Territorial Cohesion, and Samuel Soriano, Director General of the Urban Planning Agency for the Saint-Nazaire Region (ADDRN), emphasised there is a need for more open spaces and connectivity per square metre especially in congested areas.

Through this new partnership with France, Bahrain seeks to optimize waterfront connectivity through urban development. Expertise France is the French international technical cooperation agency, with a status of public institution under the joint supervision of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE) and the Ministries of Finance and Economy. 

The agency mobilises the best know-how for each project, thanks to a pool of over 10,000 experts from France’s civil service. It also draws on private expertise. The aim is to work efficiently and share and exchange development solutions. They will be working closely with UPDA to support urban planning in the country.

Manama, Apr. 10 (BNA): An interactive session on ‘Sustainable Cities and Waterfront Connectivity’ was hosted by the Urban Planning and Development Authority in coordination with the French embassy in Bahrain.
The event, in accordance with the royal guidelines for all state entities, was a reflection and a continuation of the Bahrain-French city planning initiative that followed the visit by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to France in 2015, and which resulted in the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between Bahrain and France Expertise to provide the necessary technical support for the implementation of the initiative, Shaikh Nayef bin Khaled Al Khalifa, CEO of the Urban Planning and Development Authority (UPDA), said.
The session included discussions moderated by Shaikh Nayef and was attended by undersecretaries, real estate development representatives, officials from Expertise France, the French embassy and UPDA and the media. 
“We are proud to encourage discussions in the best interest of the Kingdom through sustainable planning initiatives with the support of our partners in France. It is important to pave the way for a future that facilitates economic prosperity and a better lifestyle for the citizens and residents. We look forward to developers seizing this opportunity to ideate and unveil projects that support this planning and development,” Shaikh Nayef said.
In her speech, the French ambassador, Cécile Longé, shared France’s enthusiasm to partner with the Kingdom to pave the way for sustainable projects in the years to come. 
Sébastien Mosneron-Dupin, head of Expertise France, elaborated on their commitment to work with UPDA to support the development environment in Bahrain and facilitate more waterfront connectivity and encourage developers to focus on more sustainable cities that promote an improved way of living. This would enhance and uplift lifestyle in the nation with greener spaces that shift away from congested areas of concrete development. 
Officials discussed sustainable cities and their growth potential with positive influences on economic prosperity that would allow Bahrain to have a more strategic foresight towards the planning of the cityscape in the best interest of the citizens and residents.
The first interactive discussion, “Tools for Sustainable Cities”, focused on needs assessment to plan for more sustainable cities. The present ecosystem of planning and development in the country was reviewed followed by insights on the challenges and drawbacks before finally addressing the steps to be taken to achieve the goals in this strategic partnership with France. 
Shaikha Maram bint Isa Al Khalifa, Secretary General of National Initiative for Agricultural Development, shared insights on the importance of agriculture, green living and developing a supportive environment for society. 
She was joined in the discussion by Florence Laloe, Director for Operations, National Forestry Office (ONFI) and Nathalie Roseau, Associate Professor at the Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées. 
Participants in the second interactive session “Enhancement for Waterfront Connectivity” discussed guidelines for seamless connectivity and the importance of cohesiveness between developers.
Discussions by participants, Aref Hejres, Chairman, Bahrain Property Development Association, Yves-Laurent Sapoval, Director for Habitat, Urbanism and Landscapes at the Ministry of Territorial Cohesion, and Samuel Soriano, Director General of the Urban Planning Agency for the Saint-Nazaire Region (ADDRN), emphasised there is a need for more open spaces and connectivity per square metre especially in congested areas.
Through this new partnership with France, Bahrain seeks to optimize waterfront connectivity through urban development. 
Expertise France is the French international technical cooperation agency, with a status of public institution under the joint supervision of the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs (MEAE) and the Ministries of Finance and Economy. 
The agency mobilises the best know-how for each project, thanks to a pool of over 10,000 experts from France’s civil service. It also draws on private expertise. The aim is to work efficiently and share and exchange development solutions. They will be working closely with UPDA to support urban planning in the country.