On 11/11/2010, his Excellency, Dr. Ali Sindi, KRG Minister of Planning headed a meeting with the UN-HABITAT to follow-up this week’s workshop on the KRG housing strategy. UN-HABITAT is currently managing the Erbil Housing Strategy to identify the housing problems in Erbil and attempt to find appropriate solutions. This UN-HABITAT Strategy has the potential of transformation into a KRG-wide housing strategy.

His Excellency, the Minister of Planning, highlighted the current government initiatives to provide housing to the population. Adding that these initiatives have not been targeting the neediest groups as the cost of housing is not affordable by most people. To address this and other housing issues; the Ministry of Planning (MoP) is drafting a Strategic Development Plan for all the sector of the economy in the Region. The Plan includes a long-term housing sector strategy.

His Excellency, stated that the UN-HABITAT project could be adopted on the Regional level; suggesting to establish a high-level KRG Taskforce to make various recommendations to improve the housing sector and establish an overall Regional housing strategy. His Excellency added that the participation of the private sector and meeting the needs of the poor groups should be taken into consideration while drafting the strategy.