Dr. Sayed Ismail, Deputy Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities, recently met with executives from a local company specializing in clay pipes and components for wastewater projects. The meeting, attended by top officials from the ministry and its subsidiaries, focused on supporting local manufacturing and addressing challenges in providing essential materials for housing and utility projects.
Participants included Dr. Osama Hamdy, advisor to the Minister of Housing; Dr. Mohamed Hassan, CEO of the Drinking Water and Sanitation Regulatory Agency; Eng. Ahmed Abdelkader, head of the Drinking Water and Sanitation Executive Authority; Lt. Gen. Amin Shoukry, Deputy Head of the National Authority for Drinking Water and Sanitation; along with representatives from various urban development and utility authorities.
Dr. Ismail opened the discussion by emphasizing the government’s commitment to encouraging domestic production of materials for water and wastewater infrastructure projects, highlighting efforts to increase local production and exports. He noted the importance of supporting local industry through streamlined administrative collaboration and focused on overcoming manufacturing challenges.
Company representatives presented the production capacity of their factory and detailed their current and future projects, requesting ministry support to increase domestic output. Dr. Ismail stressed the need to prioritize products with high local content, in line with regulatory standards, without breaching contractual protocols.
The meeting also included a discussion on updating codes, standards, and technical specifications to align with locally produced materials. Attendees reviewed material options for clay pipes of varying sizes and depths, considering both technical and economic benefits.
Dr. Ismail concluded the session by reiterating the ministry’s openness to continuous dialogue and cooperation to resolve obstacles facing local manufacturers of water and wastewater project components.