Bahrain will have a new Urban Planning and Development Authority, following a royal decree establishing the authority under the supervision of the minister in charge of urban planning.

The decree, issued by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, stipulates that the authority will have a chief executive officer (CEO) with the rank of an under-secretary and a deputy CEO with the rank of an assistant undersecretary, a Bahrain News Agency report said.

The CEO will be in charge of the Human and Financial Resources Directorate and the Studies and Strategic Planning Directorate. The Detailed Planning Directorate, the Land Development and Projects Directorate and Investment Directorate will be under the deputy CEO.

Shaikh Nayef bin Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa has been appointed as the CEO of the authority. Rashid Salah Rashid Al Sa’ad has been named as the deputy CEO.

The Works, Municipalities Affairs and Urban Planning Minister shall implement the decree which takes immediate effect, the decree said.