Launch of the (Innovation in Social Housing) Conference and Exhibition in Bahrain

Manama, September 29 (KUNA) -- The 2026 Conference and Exhibition on Innovation in the Social Housing Sector, themed “Towards Innovative and Sustainable Housing Solutions,” kicked off today in the Kingdom of Bahrain, coinciding with the fourth edition of the Gulf Housing Week.

The event was inaugurated by Bahraini Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa. The conference is organized by the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning and the Housing Bank in Bahrain, and is attended by senior officials responsible for housing affairs from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, alongside representatives from the public and private sectors, as well as banking and real estate institutions.

The conference witnessed the signing of a contract between the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning and Nisaj Company for the implementation of the Khalifa City project, the largest of its kind under the government land development rights program, as part of a strategic partnership with the private sector in Bahrain. The project involves developing more than 2,500 housing units in Khalifa City, supporting government plans to implement the directive of Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to provide 50,000 housing units. It also aims to enhance the real estate inventory available to citizens benefiting from housing financing programs.

In his opening speech, Sheikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa emphasized that the coincidence of the conference and exhibition with the signing of the Khalifa City project contract clearly signifies the Kingdom of Bahrain’s confident strides in implementing its housing plans under the leadership of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the directives of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

He noted that the King’s directive to provide 50,000 housing units serves as a cornerstone for continuing to develop housing policies and programs. Achieving these housing targets requires building on past achievements and expanding the adoption of innovative models for implementation and financing, thereby supporting the development of the social housing system and accelerating the pace of projects that meet citizens’ aspirations and provide them with diverse and sustainable housing options.

For her part, Bahraini Minister of Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Amina Al-Rumaihi stressed in her opening address that the royal directive to provide 50,000 housing units is the primary reference guiding the ministry’s plans, programs, and priorities. She pointed out that implementing this directive requires continuing to develop operational mechanisms, accelerating the pace of completion, and innovating new solutions and partnerships that transform ideas into tangible projects and services benefiting citizens.

Minister Al-Rumaihi stated that partnership with the private sector has become a fundamental pillar in developing the social housing system, whether through housing financing programs or by increasing the real estate inventory available to citizens. She noted that the ministry has identified approximately 29 real estate partnership opportunities, expected to yield more than 17,000 housing units or plots in the coming years, indicating the expanding role of the private sector in supporting the achievement of housing targets.

Regarding the signing of the contract for the Khalifa City project, the minister highlighted that this step represents a major milestone in this path. The project will provide more than 2,500 housing units at subsidized prices aligned with housing financing values, on a development area of 1.56 million square meters. This includes approximately 176,600 square meters of green and open spaces, alongside infrastructure works, reflecting a trend toward developing integrated and sustainable residential communities.

The Deputy Prime Minister also inaugurated the accompanying exhibition, where he reviewed the latest projects, technologies, and innovative practices in the social housing sector. He visited the pavilions of participating government entities, real estate and banking companies, as well as the pavilion dedicated to sister GCC countries, including the pavilion of the Kuwait Public Authority for Housing.

Sheikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa praised the level of exhibits and the distinctive solutions and initiatives offered by institutions, which enrich the urban development process and support the growth of the social housing sector. (End) K.N.A./M.A.A.