Tehran, May 7 (MRUD NEWS)—Upon the visit of Mr. Srinivasa Popuri, senior officer of the United Nations Human Settlement Programme, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP), to Tehran on May 6, different urban agendas were discussed between senior urban policy-makers in Iran the UN-Habitat.
In Popuri's visit with Ali Nabian, Deputy Minister and Managing Director of 'the Executive Organization for Public and Government Buildings and Infrastructures', the willingness of Iran for bilateral cooperation on retrofitting hospitals against natural hazards was emphasized.
The importance of retrofitting hospitals was particularly highlighted after Bam earthquake in 2003 because the buildings that were needed to accommodate and treat the victims were damaged and it was practically not possible to provide services through these buildings, explained Nabian. Thus, 'the Roads, Housing, and Urban Planning Research Center' in Iran revised the project implementation methods based on the latest approved regulations and scientific publications.
Pointing to the implementation of the second phase of the Project for Improving the Resilience of Hospitals (BEHTAB II) following successful completion of the first phase, Nabian said that BEHTAB II is the result of mutual cooperation between Iran and UN-Habitat. He further said the studies for 11 more hospitals, encompassing 4000 hospital beds, are also being carried out in cooperation with the United Nations Human Settlements Office.
While expressing the desire for cooperation with 'the Executive Organization for Public and Government Buildings and Infrastructures', Popuri made promises of support and continued cooperation with this organization.
In his five-day visit, Papuri also met with Mrs. Sadegh Malvajerd, Deputy Minister for Urban Planning and Architecture and Secretary of Iran's Supreme Council of Urban Planning and Architecture, Mr. Khorsand, the adviser to the Minister of Roads and Urban Development and Secretary of the National Habitat Committee (NHC), Head of Ministry's International Center, the Managing Director of Iran's New Towns Development Company, the Managing Director of Iran's Urban Regeneration Company, and the acting head of 'Roads, Housing and Urban Development Research Center'.
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP)-Fukuoka was established in August 1997 and serves the Asia and the Pacific region in the implementation of the Habitat Agenda. Through its strengthened presence in the region, ROAP addresses settlement issues in developing countries in the Asia and Pacific region and promote community-based urban development.