Sherif El-Sherbiny, Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities, took part on Sunday in the opening session of the sixth edition of the Egyptians Abroad Conference, held under the slogan "From Everywhere... Egypt is the Destination." The session, titled "State Efforts in Supporting Egyptians Abroad," was organised under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates' Affairs, and inaugurated by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly in the presence of several ministers and representatives of Egyptian communities overseas. In his address, El-Sherbiny highlighted Egypt's sweeping urban renaissance, driven by the vision of the political leadership. The ministry's urban development strategy, he explained, rests on several pillars: building new smart cities, eliminating informal settlements, implementing the Decent Life initiative, and reviving heritage areas. Together, these efforts have delivered a diverse portfolio of real estate offerings tailored to various social segments, investors, and Egyptians living abroad—including residential, administrative and commercial units, as well as land plots. El-Sherbiny noted that among the ministry's flagship programmes for Egyptians abroad is the Beit Al-Watan (Homeland House) project. This initiative provides land plots and residential units in new cities exclusively for expatriates, enabling them to invest in Egypt's urban growth while maintaining a tangible link to their homeland for themselves and future generations. He pointed out that the tenth phase of Beit Al-Watan, launched in July 2024, included 2,973 land plots and 1,377 residential units. Strong demand led to 14,002 money transfers, prompting the ministry in January 2025 to increase the number of available land plots to 14,950. This response aimed to better accommodate the rising interest from Egyptians abroad. El-Sherbiny added that, in view of sustained demand, the ministry has offered supplementary phases by releasing additional premium plots in several new cities, combined with flexible reservation procedures to maximise benefit for applicants. This strategy also seeks to boost foreign currency remittances flowing into the national economy through real estate investment. Turning to a second major initiative, El-Sherbiny discussed the Your Home in Egypt programme. Launched in response to directives from President Abdel Fattah A-Sisi, this initiative is designed to broaden investment opportunities for Egyptians abroad and allow them to benefit directly from Egypt's urban expansion. Introduced during last year's Egyptians Abroad Conference, the first phase offered a varied and high-quality selection of housing units. The minister explained that this initial phase included 5,055 residential units, some ready for immediate delivery and others to be delivered in succession, catering to a broad spectrum of income levels. Reservations opened on 1 May, with an additional booking round launched on 22 June. Payment of booking deposits is currently underway. As part of the initiative's advantages, expatriates benefited from exclusive discounts ranging between 3% and 10% off market prices, alongside payment plans of up to ten years. El-Sherbiny announced, on the sidelines of this year's conference, the upcoming launch of the second phase of the Your Home in Egypt initiative. This new phase will offer around 3,000 units—covering residential, administrative and commercial properties—spread over roughly 19 projects in 12 cities, aiming to address diverse needs among Egyptian expatriates. It will be rolled out in three stages: the first in September 2025, the second in October, and the third in November. In conclusion, the Minister of Housing reaffirmed the ministry's continued dedication to supporting Egyptians living abroad, working in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates' Affairs through targeted real estate initiatives tailored specifically to them.
