12th Session of Gulf Municipal Works Conference Starts in Riyadh

Minister of Municipalities and Housing Majed Al-Hogail opened the 12th session of the Gulf Municipal Works Conference today, which the ministry is holding in cooperation with the Secretariat General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Many government officials and specialists concerned with municipal work affairs in the GCC countries will attend the three-day conference. In his speech, Al-Hogail underscored that the conference reflects the collective commitment of the GCC countries to municipal work as a vital component in achieving sustainable development in the region. He added that the current session focuses on the advancements and challenges pertaining to the development and sustainability of municipal work, as well as the ambitious objectives that the countries strive to accomplish. He elaborated on the challenges encountered by the municipal sector in the Gulf countries, such as the rising need for high-quality and sustainable municipal services, as well as the necessity of securing diverse fundin g sources for municipal projects. He underscored the GCC countries' efforts to advance the development and sustainability of municipal work by establishing smart cities that are environmentally friendly and contribute to enhancing residents' quality of life. Furthermore, he said that the conference addresses modern trends in urban planning and design and their potential to enhance the quality of life, the utilization of smart technology to sustain municipal work, the challenges posed by climate change to the sustainability of municipal work and the strategies to effectively address them, as well as the importance of forging partnerships to foster the development of innovative solutions for municipal work. He emphasized the need to continue collaborating to formulate specific recommendations that contribute to developing new strategies addressing local and regional challenges to ensure the sustainability of municipal work. Al-Hogail then opened the exhibition accompanying the conference, showcasing the late st innovations, solutions, tools, and successful practices to promote sustainability in municipal work. The conference features more than 15 dialogue sessions and workshops in which officials, experts, and academics specialized in municipal work from GCC countries participate. Source: Saudi Press Agency