Baghdad Mayor: Starting a new phase to achieve sustainable development

INA – BAGHDAD
 
Baghdad Mayor, Ammar Musa Kadhim, announced on Friday the start of a new phase that serves the implementation of the urban plan and achieving the sustainable development goals of Baghdad.
 
Kadhim participated in the twelfth session of the World Urban Forum held in Cairo, Egypt, through an invitation addressed to him by the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Program, said Baghdad Municipality in a statement – received by the Iraqi News Agency – INA.
 
“Baghdad faces unprecedented demographic, environmental, economic, social and spatial challenges with a population that exceeded 9 million people with the arrivals, which prompted the Iraqi government to adopt new comprehensive strategies to achieve a balance in providing services," Kadhim pointed out, adding "The Iraqi government approved the comprehensive development plan for Baghdad for 2030, which was completed by Baghdad Municipality. Among its most important outcomes are addressing slums, the housing crisis, setting goals and guiding principles for the strategy of the transportation, water and sewage sectors."
 
He explained that "as part of the government's strategy to address the housing crisis and reduce overcrowding in major city centers, five residential cities were announced as a first phase, to be built in the capital Baghdad, Babylon, Karbala, Nineveh and Anbar. Ten new residential cities will be announced in other governorates, with the aim of reaching 250-300 thousand housing units, to target the poor and middle classes."
 
“There are many urgent entitlements awaiting us in the next phase that we seek to achieve no matter how great the challenges we face. There is also a need for cooperation, solidarity, unification of efforts and achieving international partnerships to move forward,” he highlighted.
 
Kadhim stressed, "We look forward together to a future that achieves the desired goal of the 12th Urban Forum as a strategic opportunity for cooperation between companies and stakeholders concerned with implementing the new urban plan and sustainable development goals."