Egypt's Social Housing and Mortgage Finance Fund (SHMFF) signed a new cooperation protocol with the United Bank on Wednesday to boost mortgage lending and support affordable housing initiatives, the ministry of housing said in a statement. The agreement builds on a previous protocol signed on 1 September 2020 and raises the total value of financing under the partnership to 5 billion Egyptian pounds, underscoring the continued expansion of mortgage finance in Egypt's housing sector. The United Bank's mortgage portfolio has now exceeded 3.4 billion pounds, benefiting more than 17,500 clients across the country, according to the statement. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: Y.Yasser