Minister of Social Development and Family H E Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi (second right) chairing 42nd session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Housing and Construction in Doha yesterday.
Doha: Qatar hosted yesterday the 42nd session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Housing and Construction, chaired by Minister of Social Development and Family, H E Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi.
In her remarks, Al Nuaimi said it was an honour for Qatar to assume the presidency of the council’s 42nd session, expressing pride in the confidence placed in the country. She affirmed Qatar’s commitment to continuing joint work with fellow Arab states to strengthen cooperation, create a supportive environment for developing housing policies, and improve the quality of life in Arab cities.
She extended her sincere thanks and appreciation to Algeria, which chaired the previous session, for the effective steps taken during its tenure to support joint Arab action in the fields of housing and construction. She also commended the General Secretariat of the Arab League for its ongoing coordination and follow-up efforts. She noted that Qatar places special emphasis on developing the urban environment and enhancing the quality of life by modernising the housing system, improving the efficiency of basic services, and providing balanced residential communities, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030, which places people at the heart of development.
Minister Al Nuaimi said holding the session alongside the sixth ministerial forum provides an opportunity to deepen Arab dialogue on the future of housing and urban development, exchange expertise, and review experiences and practices that contribute to strengthening joint Arab action in this vital sector.
She expressed hope that the ministers’ discussions and meetings would result in practical directions supporting Arab countries’ efforts in housing and urban development, while keeping pace with the challenges and changes facing Arab cities.
The session discussed a range of issues related to enhancing cooperation, coordination, and dialogue among Arab countries in the housing and construction sector.
Qatar also launched yesterday the 6th Arab Ministerial Forum on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development 2025. It is being held under the patronage of Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, the forum was opened by the Minister of Social Development and Family.
She emphasized Qatar’s commitment to enhancing urban environments, improving quality of life, and promoting citizen well-being through modernized urban policies, upgraded community services, and sustainable, high-quality infrastructure.
Qatar focuses particularly on enhancing urban resilience, providing diverse housing options that meet citizens’ needs, improving service quality, and aligning urban planning with the future of smart cities and digital transformation, the minister said.
Al Nuaimi noted the Arab world faces growing urban populations, expanding housing needs, infrastructure challenges, housing costs, climate change, and environmental sustainability issues.
She stressed that addressing these challenges requires long-term urban planning that integrates social, economic, and environmental dimensions and relies on cooperation among governments, the private sector, and civil society.
