Engineer Randa El-Menshawy, Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities, held a meeting with Dr. Khalfan bin Said Al Shuaili, Minister of Housing and Urban Planning of the Sultanate of Oman, to discuss prospects for strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries in the areas of housing and urban development.
The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum, hosted in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, under the theme “Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities,” taking place from May 17 to 22, 2026.
At the start of the meeting, Engineer Randa El-Menshawy stressed the longstanding historical relations between the two brotherly nations, emphasizing the importance of expanding cooperation in the housing and urban development sectors to support sustainable development objectives and enhance the quality of life for citizens.
The discussions covered a number of areas of mutual cooperation, including exchanging expertise in urban development and the establishment of new cities, exploring mechanisms to achieve sustainable urban development goals, and sharing experiences related to the redevelopment and upgrading of older areas to ensure the application of modern urban planning concepts and improve the quality of the urban environment.
The two ministers also reviewed opportunities to strengthen collaboration between public and private sector companies in both countries in the fields of housing, urban development, and real estate development, while encouraging investment partnerships between Egyptian and Omani companies to support the implementation of joint development projects.
Engineer Randa El-Menshawy highlighted the readiness of Egyptian contracting companies to contribute to development projects in the Sultanate of Oman, given their extensive experience in construction, infrastructure, and urban development, as well as the availability of highly skilled technical and human resources.
For his part, Dr. Khalfan bin Said Al Shuaili expressed his admiration for the comprehensive and unprecedented urban transformation witnessed by the Arab Republic of Egypt in recent years.
He praised the notable achievements in smart cities, infrastructure projects, and social housing initiatives, noting that these accomplishments reflect a clear vision and strong political determination in support of sustainable urban development. He also affirmed Oman’s interest in benefiting from Egypt’s leading expertise in this field and expanding bilateral cooperation in ways that serve the interests of both nations.
Dr. Khalfan bin Said Al Shuaili further commended the extensive expertise and capabilities of Egyptian companies in executing national and development projects, in addition to their successful track record in construction and urban development.
At the end of the meeting, both sides agreed to maintain coordination and activate frameworks for joint cooperation during the coming period, with the aim of advancing sustainable urban development efforts, reinforcing investment partnerships, and exchanging expertise between the two brotherly countries across various housing and urban planning sectors.