Dr. Abdel Khaleq Ibrahim, Assistant Minister of Housing for Technical Affairs, participated in a high-level panel on sustainable cities at the Twelfth World Urban Forum. The session, which featured ministers and experts from Arab and African nations, focused on the theme of “people-centered” urban development, underscoring the role of individuals as the heart of sustainable urban strategies.
During the discussion, Dr. Ibrahim introduced Egypt’s National Smart Cities Strategy, launched as part of the World Urban Forum. He highlighted that the strategy centers on enhancing quality of life through technology and innovation, particularly in developing countries where prioritizing people’s needs remains paramount. Egypt, like other nations, seeks to meet its citizens’ requirements by integrating digital solutions across urban landscapes.
The high-level session also explored practical steps for implementing smart city strategies at the local level. Egypt, for instance, is helping establish global guidelines to translate national smart city policies into actionable steps for individual cities, making each one a replicable model of sustainability and technological advancement.
Dr. Ibrahim explained that Egypt’s Ministry of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities is dedicated to creating fourth-generation smart cities that address various aspects of life through technological infrastructure. These new cities offer eco-friendly, digitally integrated environments designed to foster learning and innovation, supporting a gradual digital transformation even in previous generations of urban areas.
He noted that the National Smart Cities Strategy is a powerful tool for advancing sustainable development and comprehensive digital transformation. The strategy aims to strengthen Egypt’s technological infrastructure, enhance smart services in sectors such as healthcare, education, transport, and energy, and facilitate efficient resource management. By doing so, it not only meets citizens’ needs but also bolsters the national economy by promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, and foreign investment while creating new jobs.
Dr. Ibrahim also emphasized the environmental benefits of the smart cities strategy. It supports carbon reduction and effective resource management through renewable energy use and smart transportation systems, which helps mitigate pollution and safeguard the environment. Additionally, the strategy enhances governance and transparency by utilizing digital management systems that improve government efficiency, speed response times for citizen requests and complaints, and foster open communication between government bodies and the public.
By implementing the National Smart Cities Strategy, Egypt is striving to improve citizens’ quality of life and contribute to sustainable urban development, in line with global sustainability goals.
