Egypt’s Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities, Eng. Sherif El-Sherbiny, welcomed Chinese Vice Minister of Housing Dong Jian Guo and his accompanying delegation to discuss prospects for future cooperation. El-Sherbiny expressed his satisfaction with the collaboration between the Egyptian and Chinese Ministries of Housing, as well as the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC), which is implementing major projects in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital and New Alamein City. He stressed the importance of maximizing the benefits of investments in large-scale national projects.
Eng. Sherif El-Sherbiny emphasized the need to strengthen ties between the two housing ministries, pointing to the significant developments in bilateral relations over the past decade. He expressed hope for further cooperation, including the signing of a Letter of Intent between the two ministries, as well as protocols for the operation and maintenance of the Central Business District (CBD) in the New Administrative Capital. Additionally, he mentioned a cooperation protocol with the Arab Contractors Company. He also underscored the importance of localizing industries in Egyptian housing projects, in line with President El-Sisi’s directives.
For his part, the Chinese Vice Minister of Housing expressed his gratitude for visiting Egypt and highlighted the strong and strategic relations between the two countries. He noted the fruitful cooperation under the leadership of Presidents Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Xi Jinping, considering the signed Letter of Intent and the agreement for managing the CBD as models of successful collaboration.
He also reaffirmed the readiness of the Chinese Ministry of Housing to collaborate with its Egyptian counterpart in various sectors, including housing, urban and rural development, and infrastructure. He praised Egypt’s achievements in recent years, particularly in these fields.
During the meeting, Dr. Abdel Khalek Ibrahim presented an overview of Egypt’s urban development projects, pointing to the national plan to double the urbanized area from 7% in 2010 to 15% today. The presentation covered the country’s shift toward constructing smart cities such as the New Administrative Capital and New Alamein, as well as efforts to promote sustainable green housing and provide suitable residential units. It also highlighted the Ministry of Housing’s national projects to develop heritage sites and informal settlements.
The meeting concluded with the official signing of the Letter of Intent between the Egyptian and Chinese Ministries of Housing.