Her Excellency Ms. Amna bint Ahmed Alrumaihi, Minister of Housing and Urban Planning, affirmed that the outcomes of the fourth Gulf Housing Week and the second edition of the Social Housing Innovation Conference and Exhibition 2026 provide a foundation for the continued development of the housing sector and for strengthening the integration of public and private sector roles in providing innovative and sustainable options that place citizens’ needs and quality of life at the heart of planning and decision-making.
Her Excellency made the remarks on the occasion of the conclusion of the events, which were held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, from 29 September to 3 October 2026 at Exhibition World Bahrain. The events were organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning (MOHUP) and Eskan Bank, in cooperation with the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Her Excellency affirmed that housing and urban development remain a continuous priority as one of the pillars of the Kingdom’s comprehensive development process under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and the directives of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. She noted that His Royal Highness’s patronage of the second edition of the Social Housing Innovation Conference and Exhibition 2026 reflects the attention and support accorded to the housing and urban development sector in the Kingdom of Bahrain, given its direct connection to citizens’ stability and quality of life and its role in supporting sustainable economic, social and urban development.
Her Excellency expressed pride in the broad Gulf and professional participation witnessed in the Kingdom of Bahrain throughout the events, with the participation of ministers, senior officials, experts and specialists, as well as representatives of the private sector and banking, real estate and academic institutions. The gathering provided an opportunity to exchange experiences and expertise and showcase solutions that enhance the housing sector’s ability to meet the aspirations of Gulf citizens.
Her Excellency explained that the conference featured more than 20 sessions with over 60 speakers from the Kingdom of Bahrain, Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Arab countries and other countries worldwide. The discussions resulted in 14 recommendations aimed at advancing the social housing ecosystem and anticipating its future requirements. She affirmed that the next phase requires a renewed approach based on customised and innovative housing models, smart support systems, targeted financing for different segments, and strategic partnerships with banks, financial institutions and real estate development companies.
Her Excellency noted that the recommendations emphasised the importance of redefining the government’s role in the social housing sector, moving from a primary focus on providing housing products towards leading and enabling an integrated ecosystem encompassing planning, regulation, financing, development and services. The recommendations also called for adopting proactive, data-driven planning to anticipate demographic and social shifts and link them to future housing demand, infrastructure and service requirements, and investment priorities.
Her Excellency added that the conference recommended developing integrated partnership models between the government, developers, banks and financing institutions, based on clearly defined roles and the integration of planning, financing and implementation, thereby strengthening the ability to increase housing supply. It also recommended expanding the use of modular and industrialised construction technologies to improve project delivery efficiency, shorten completion periods, and enhance quality, productivity and sustainability.
Regarding digital transformation, Her Excellency said the recommendations stressed the importance of establishing clear governance frameworks for the use of data and artificial intelligence in the housing sector to support decision-making, improve service efficiency, and ensure the safe and responsible use of modern technologies. They also called for greater integration of systems, data and procedures among relevant entities to reduce duplication, simplify processes and accelerate access to services. She further emphasised the importance of redesigning the beneficiary journey based on a clear understanding of beneficiaries’ needs and expectations, measuring their experiences, and continuously incorporating their feedback into service development.
Her Excellency affirmed that the development of residential communities requires integrating housing planning with transport networks, infrastructure, services and facilities to support sustainable mobility, strengthen connectivity between urban components and enhance quality of life. She also highlighted the need to align the design of homes and residential communities with demographic shifts and changing family lifestyles in order to provide solutions that are more adaptable to current and future needs. She further noted the importance of providing affordable housing close to employment opportunities and within mixed-income, mixed-use neighbourhoods to support sustainable livelihoods.
Her Excellency explained that the conference outcomes also included strengthening integration between regulation, development and investment in shaping the cities of the future, linking urban planning with investment opportunities and the economic and social value of place, and adopting strategic urban planning and design that anticipate city growth and provide high-density, mixed-use neighbourhoods that enhance accessibility, economic opportunities and social cohesion while limiting unplanned urban sprawl.
Her Excellency also highlighted the importance of adopting the concept of “Housing as an Integrated Service” in the development of future programmes and designing housing pathways that take into account citizens’ changing needs throughout different stages of life, providing greater flexibility and a wider range of options. She also emphasised the shift from developing individual housing projects towards building integrated, future-ready communities by connecting housing with urban planning, quality of life and services.
With regard to projects and initiatives, Her Excellency affirmed that the conference witnessed the launch of projects aimed at diversifying housing options and increasing the Kingdom’s housing stock. Among the most notable was the signing of the largest partnership agreement with Naseej to provide 2,500 housing units in Khalifa City, marking a new milestone in engaging the private sector in the provision of social housing services for citizens.
Her Excellency added that pre-booking was announced for units in the Al Marsa, Al Aseel and Al Sahel projects in Salman City through the off-plan sales programme, in addition to Eskan Bank launching the Danat Askar and Danat Madinat Hamad projects. She affirmed that work will continue to provide additional projects that contribute to implementing the Royal directive of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, to accelerate the pace of housing projects and provide 50,000 housing units.
Her Excellency noted that the accompanying exhibition featured the participation of more than 40 entities, including banking and financing institutions, real estate development companies and other entities related to the housing sector, in addition to Gulf participants. This created an integrated platform for showcasing housing projects, programmes, housing and financing options, introducing visitors to the latest available opportunities, and reflecting the growing breadth of partnerships among the various stakeholders within the housing ecosystem.
Her Excellency added that the conference witnessed the signing of 68 agreements among entities representing the various participating sectors, reflecting the momentum currently seen in the private sector and its growing role in developing housing solutions. She affirmed that these partnerships demonstrate the diversity of options that participating entities seek to provide to citizens in ways that meet their needs and strengthen the integration of the housing ecosystem.
As part of efforts to empower youth, Her Excellency affirmed that the launch of the third edition of the Gulf Housing Hackathon, under the theme “Youth Vision for the Housing of the Future,” provided young Bahraini and Gulf talents with an opportunity to explore housing challenges and develop creative and sustainable solutions that reflect citizens’ aspirations and enhance their quality of life. She expressed pride in the projects presented by the participating teams, which demonstrated promising youth perspectives and ideas that can be further developed and built upon, while reflecting contemporary approaches to the planning and construction of housing projects.
Her Excellency affirmed her aspiration to build on the cooperation and exchange of expertise achieved during the events and to translate their outcomes into practical workstreams, partnerships and implementable initiatives that contribute to developing housing solutions and enhancing the readiness of cities and communities for future requirements. She also expressed her thanks and appreciation to all partners, sponsors, speakers, experts, participants and working teams for their contributions to the success of the week and the conference.
At the conclusion of the events, Her Excellency the Minister of Housing and Urban Planning honoured the working committees, contributing companies and conference sponsors in recognition of their efforts and contributions to the success of the second edition of the Social Housing Innovation Conference and Exhibition 2026. She affirmed that the integration of organisational, technical and media efforts, together with the support provided by partners and sponsors, contributed to presenting the events in a manner that reflects the Kingdom of Bahrain’s standing and its ability to host specialised Gulf and international events.