The 40th session of the Council of Arab Ministers of Housing and Construction took place in Tripoli, the capital of Libya, on December 20, 2023. The session was attended by representatives from 22 Arab countries, as well as the League of Arab States, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), and other regional and international organizations.
The session aimed to discuss and present new Arab visions and innovative solutions to address the current and emerging challenges in the fields of housing and urban development, such as affordability, sustainability, quality of life, and smart cities. The session also reviewed the progress and achievements of the Arab countries in implementing the New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 11, which calls for making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
Somalia was represented by the Minister of Public Works, Reconstruction and Housing, MP Ismail Abdirahman Sheikh Bashir and the delegation he led from the Ministry of Public Works.
On the sidelines of the session, the Fifth Arab Ministerial Forum on Housing and Urban Development and an accompanying exhibition were held in Tripoli, showcasing the best practices and initiatives of the Arab countries and the Ministry of Public Works of Libya in the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of housing and urban development plans and strategies.
The session concluded with the adoption of the Tripoli Declaration, which reaffirmed the commitment of the Arab countries to enhance cooperation and coordination in the field of housing and urban development, and to support the efforts of Libya in rebuilding its infrastructure and restoring its stability and security.
