Al-Hogail heads the Kingdom’s delegation at the 27th meeting of the Municipal Affairs Committee of the GCC in Qatar

Minister of Municipal Rural Affairs and Housing Majed Al-Hogail led the Saudi Arabian delegation to the 27th meeting of the committee of ministers responsible for municipal affairs in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), held Thursday in Doha. The meeting in the Qatari capital focused on various shared issues in the municipal affairs sector.

Al-Hogail expressed Saudi Arabia's pleasure to host the 12th annual Gulf Municipal Work Conference in Riyadh from October 6 to 8, which will revolve around the theme of "Sustainable Municipal Work." He emphasized the importance of active participation from private-sector companies and institutions across the GCC countries to foster cooperation and expertise exchange during this significant gathering.

The meeting discussed the proposed executive plan for initiatives related to the urban environment committee in the municipal action plan (2024-2030). These initiatives include a guide for the use of solar panels in buildings, a guide for an integrated waste management system towards a circular economy, as well as sustainable transportation options and an urban design guide in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

The meeting reviewed the proposed recommendations regarding the executive plan for initiatives related to the strategic urban planning committee in the municipal action plan. It also discussed local, regional, and international workshops, conferences, and seminars on urban planning that will be organized and participated in by member states during the year 2025.

The meeting addressed updates on the executive plan for initiatives related to the legislation development and municipal oversight committee in the municipal action plan. It reviewed a guide on regulating food carts, a guide on social housing regulations, and approved a guide on procedures for seizing and impounding abandoned and damaged vehicles as well as non-functional machinery. The meeting also endorsed the requirements for public health companies in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

Furthermore, the meeting discussed the latest developments in the executive plan for the contractor classification mechanism in the construction and building sector for the GCC. The committee recommended holding a meeting for the Gulf Building Code Committee in July of the upcoming year to commence the advisory phase of code implementation and monitor all technical matters related to it.

The meeting also discussed the coordination related to the Arbitration Committee of the Gulf Cooperation Council Award for Municipal Work to select the winners for the fifth cycle of 2023-2024 in the field of municipal work. The winners will be honored during the upcoming 12th Gulf Municipal Work Conference, scheduled to be held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2024. The committee also set the date for the next cycle of the award during the years 2025-2026.

The meeting urged member states and the Secretariat General to actively participate and highlight the achievements of joint Gulf municipal work in international forums. It emphasized the continuation of the mechanism for exchanging experts and specialists in the municipal field among council countries and signing memoranda of understanding with international specialized organizations serving the municipal sector.

The senior officials of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries held their preparatory 40th meeting for the 27th meeting of Their Excellencies and Honorable Ministers responsible for municipal affairs in the GCC countries. The meeting took place in the Qatari capital, Doha, where the delegation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was chaired by the Deputy Minister for Urban Planning and Lands, Engineer Fahad bin Saleh Al-Mutlaq.

The meeting addressed the decisions issued by the Supreme Council in previous sessions regarding the municipal field, including strategic urban planning, urban environment, the Gulf Building Code, legislation development and municipal oversight, contractor classification, and the Joint Gulf Municipal Action Plan for the years 2024-2030.