Iraq Marks Foundation Stone Ceremony for 100 Affordable Housing Units and Green Building Technology Centre in Ramadi, Anbar

The Building Equitable and Inclusive Transformation (BEIT) Project, funded by the European Union marked an important milestone with the foundation stone ceremony for the construction of 100 affordable housing units and a Centre for Green Building Technology in Ramadi, Anbar Governorate.

The ceremony brought together representatives of the Government of Iraq, Anbar Governorate, Ramadi Municipality, the European Union, the United Nations and other stakeholders supporting the implementation of the BEIT Project.

The event began at the Office of the Governor of Anbar with a roundtable meeting, providing an opportunity for participating institutions to highlight the importance of advancing affordable housing and promoting more inclusive and sustainable approaches to housing and construction.

The programme included opening remarks by the Governor of Anbar, followed by statements from the Representative of the European Union, Head of UN-Habitat Iraq and the Chair of the BEIT Steering Committee. Participants also viewed a presentation and fly-through video highlighting the BEIT housing project and its planned development.

Following the roundtable meeting and media interviews, participants travelled to the BEIT project site, where the foundation stone was formally laid, marking the beginning of construction of the 100 affordable housing units and the Centre for Green Building Technology.

Anbar Governor, Mr. Omar Mishaan Dabbous, commended the importance of the BEIT Project, emphasizing that its implementation represents an important step towards supporting the provision of affordable housing and improving living conditions for citizens in the Governorate. He also praised the efforts of all partners and stakeholders supporting the project, highlighting the importance of continued cooperation and coordination to ensure the implementation of sustainable housing and development projects that respond to the needs of the local community.

The United Nations Resident Coordinator ad interim in Iraq, Peter Hawkins welcomed the milestone, stating: “A safe home gives a family more than a roof over their heads. It gives them stability and a place to plan for the future. Once built, these 100 homes will give families in Ramadi that chance. I am pleased that the Government of Iraq, local authorities, the European Union and the United Nations are working together to make this possible.”

Mr. Wim Riepma, Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Iraq, welcomed the milestone, stating: “The European Union is proud to support the BEIT Project and the construction of these 100 affordable homes in Ramadi. This development demonstrates how investment in housing can improve living conditions while creating employment, strengthening local construction capacity and advancing greener building practices. We hope that the approach demonstrated here will contribute to the expansion of affordable and sustainable housing across Iraq.”

The Head of UN-Habitat in Iraq, Mr. Muslim Qazimi, emphasized the wider significance of the development, stating: “The 100 homes beginning construction will provide a tangible benefit to families in Ramadi, while also demonstrating an approach that can inform future affordable housing programmes across Iraq. The development combines climate-responsive design, improved thermal performance and renewable energy with practical measures to support affordability. Through the Centre for Green Building Technology, the project will also help strengthen local knowledge and capacity so these approaches can be applied at a much greater scale.”

The BEIT Project aims to support equitable and inclusive transformation through practical housing solutions and approaches that contribute to improved living conditions and more sustainable development.

For additional information, please contact:

Marcus Tudehope

Programme Manager, UN-Habitat Iraq

marcus.tudehope@un.org

Saad Mahdi

Data Management Associate, UN-Habitat Iraq

saad.mahdi@un.org