On the fifth day of the 12th World Urban Forum, Egypt’s Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities, Sherif El-Sherbiny, met with Cameroon’s Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Celestine Ketcha, along with Cameroon’s Ambassador to Egypt, Mohamadu Labarang, and their accompanying delegation. The meeting, held in Cairo, aimed to showcase Egypt’s urban development experience and explore opportunities for strengthened cooperation between Egypt and Cameroon.
Minister El-Sherbiny welcomed the Cameroonian officials, emphasizing Egypt’s readiness to share its urban development expertise with Cameroon and other African countries. He highlighted the significance of the World Urban Forum returning to Africa after over 20 years, with its first session held in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2002. He assured that Egyptian construction companies, consultancy firms, and real estate developers—renowned for their wide-ranging experience in urban projects—are well-positioned to contribute to development projects across Africa and the Middle East.
El-Sherbiny provided an in-depth overview of Egypt’s achievements in housing, particularly under the “Housing for All Egyptians” initiative, launched by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, which prioritizes affordable housing for lower-income citizens. He also discussed Egypt’s success in upgrading informal settlements and constructing fourth-generation cities, which incorporate smart and sustainable design.
Cameroon’s Minister of Housing, Celestine Ketcha, praised Egypt’s impressive advancements in urban development, expressing a strong interest in enhancing cooperation between the two nations. She conveyed Cameroon’s eagerness to benefit from Egypt’s expertise and to work closely with Egyptian construction firms to advance urban development initiatives in Cameroon.