Dr. Sayed Ismail, Egypt’s Deputy Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities, met with Nguyen Tieng Van, Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Construction, and his accompanying delegation to discuss future collaboration opportunities between the two nations. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 12th World Urban Forum (WUF12), held in Egypt under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, with broad international participation under the theme, “Everything Starts Locally – Together for Sustainable Cities and Communities,” at the Al-Manara International Conference Center in Cairo.
Dr. Ismail warmly welcomed the Vietnamese delegation and shared Egypt’s comprehensive strategy for expanding and improving potable water and wastewater services nationwide. He highlighted ongoing efforts to enhance service coverage across urban and rural areas, modernize infrastructure to reduce losses, and improve operational efficiency. Additionally, he detailed plans to install water meters to monitor production and distribution accurately, ensuring sustainable resource management and investment protection. The Egyptian Ministry’s integrated strategy aims to raise national standards and achieve consistent service delivery through best-practice maintenance and operation techniques.
He also emphasized Egypt’s commitment to engaging private-sector investors in housing, water, and wastewater projects, highlighting desalination and sludge management as key areas designated for public-private partnerships under Egypt’s State Ownership Policy Document, underscoring the state’s confidence in private-sector collaboration.
Deputy Minister Nguyen Tieng Van expressed his admiration for Egypt’s role in organizing the forum and highlighted Vietnam’s ongoing urban development initiatives aimed at achieving comprehensive urban growth and environmental sustainability. He praised Egypt’s housing ministry for its decade-long efforts and expressed interest in exploring mutual investment opportunities to benefit both nations.
The meeting concluded with both deputies affirming the importance of continued cooperation and the exchange of modern technologies, particularly in water and wastewater management. Dr. Ismail emphasized Egypt’s capabilities in international project delivery, noting that Egyptian companies possess both technical and managerial expertise to support friendly nations. Both sides agreed to form a working group to develop a roadmap for collaboration, focusing on enhancing water services, expanding investment opportunities, and encouraging private-sector participation in projects across both Egypt and Vietnam.
