The Ministry of Municipal, Rural Affairs, and Housing has launched a training program for its employees on urban efficiency and productivity in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), with the participation of a select group of trainees from all municipal secretariats, regional development authorities, and royal commissions in the Kingdom, at the Le Méridien Hotel in Riyadh.
Dr. Adel bin Bakhit Al-Zahrani, Deputy Minister of Municipal, Rural, and Housing Affairs for Urban Planning and Land, explained, that the program aims to enhance the skills of professionals in the field of urban and regional planning and improve the quality of public and private sector projects, thereby contributing to the achievement of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals, noting that the event will host a number of experts in planning, urban economics, and city management to review leading global experiences, in addition to hosting local experts, including mayors from various regions, and international experts; to share successful experiences in diversifying the economic base of Saudi cities and to review the most significant challenges.
He added: “The training program lasts for three weeks. The first week will focus on urban management and city administration skills, while the second week will cover a number of topics related to the urban economy and economic diversification, while the third week will address topics related to diversifying project financing mechanisms that contribute to urban prosperity, in line with the objectives of the Ministry’s Urban Planning Agency aimed at improving the quality of life in cities and ensuring their sustainability, noting that the Urban Efficiency and Productivity Training Program is one of a kind in the Kingdom.”
Al-Zahrani emphasized that the Ministry is continuously working to support comprehensive urban renewal and respond to the aspirations of Saudi city residents regarding improving the urban environment, achieving urban sustainability, preserving cultural identity, and humanizing cities, in addition to improving the quality of services provided and achieving efficiency and balanced development across the Kingdom’s various regions within the framework of sustainable urban, social, and economic development.
