Egypt’s Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities Sherif El-Sherbiny met with Ahmed Rizk, Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Office in Egypt, to discuss expanding cooperation on sustainable urban development and the Egypt Vision 2030 agenda.
The meeting focused on establishing priorities for joint work following the 12th World Urban Forum (WUF) held in Cairo. El-Sherbiny identified the forum as a launch point for the National Strategy for Green Urbanism and Construction and the National Smart Cities Strategy, noting that the partnership with UN-Habitat provides non-traditional solutions for urban efficiency.
Rizk expressed UN-Habitat’s interest in documenting and sharing Egypt’s pioneering experience in social housing and new city development with other nations. He emphasised the importance of creating a clear framework to build on recent achievements in the housing sector.
The discussions covered several technical areas for future collaboration, including urban infrastructure through seawater desalination and energy efficiency projects, as well as the localisation of industries related to housing sector projects. Both parties also reviewed initiatives for capacity building and training to improve service quality in new cities, alongside integrated planning efforts to strengthen the connection between existing urban areas and newly developed communities.
Officials from the Ministry of Housing and the New Urban Communities Authority also attended the session, where they reviewed proposed projects aimed at achieving balanced urban growth across the country. El-Sherbiny stated that the ministry remains committed to deepening the partnership to support the state’s strategy for comprehensive development.
