Manama, November 17th (BNA) –Bahrain has accomplished a qualitative achievement in the area of investment and urban development, reflecting the efforts of the wise government, through attaining the first Arab position and the seventh in the world in the area of easing the issuance of building permits, according to the Business report issued by the World Bank for the year2013.

Marking the occasion, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Urban Planning, Dr. Jumaa Bin Ahmed Al Kaabi stated that such achievement reflected the efforts of the government in line with the directives of the wise government chaired by the Prime Minister, HRH Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa in strengthening a distinctive investment climate in Bahrain.

The Minister added that in cooperation with the municipal councils and the service governmental agencies, the ministry was keen to reinforce the role of the comprehensive municipal center, which combines under its umbrella, representatives of the relevant authorities to issue the permits, where those efforts contributed to anhance Bahrain to attain such leading position.

Dr. Al Kaabi highlighted that the ministry, within its strategic plan emanating from the government’s work program was keen to support urban development through the preparation of urban plans for regions, according to Bahrain’s strategic data structural plan, where defining the use of the residential, investment, industrial, administrative and service facilitates lands facilitate obtaining the various building permits.

Dr. Al Kaabi stated, “The Support of HRH the Premier was for improving the different services provided and facilitate obtaining the services by the citizen and the residents including building permits.” He also added that the comprehensive municipal center had taken a number of procedures aiming at providing various services including electronic connectivity, delivery and receiving of building permits in digital form, apply the quality systems and perform surveys to measure customer satisfaction.

He also added that the official website of the Ministry provides services without the need to refer to the ministry, which form a quantum leap in supporting the urban development in the Kingdom.

MR.