Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly chaired a meeting on Monday to review several key issues in the housing and urban development sector, including the main features of the National Strategy for Urban Development and Green Construction, as well as the financial position of the New Urban Communities Authority (NUCA). The meeting was attended by Sherif El-Sherbiny, Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities; Abdel Khalek Ibrahim, Assistant Minister for Technical Affairs; and Mohamed Ragai, Deputy Chairperson of NUCA for Financial, Administrative, and Human Resources Affairs. During the meeting, the Minister of Housing presented the core elements of the National Strategy for Sustainable Urban Development and Green Construction. He explained that the methodology for preparing the strategy draws on several inputs, including national and sectoral strategies, long-term targets, and objectives for building an integrated green urban system. The strategy focuses on managing and rationalising renewable and new energy, conserving water resources, improving solid waste management, promoting sustainable urban transport, encouraging the responsible use of construction materials, and enhancing environmental quality indoors and outdoors. It also seeks to strengthen the green economy and attract investment. The methodology further identifies challenges facing both existing and new cities, maps out relevant stakeholders, and highlights potential funding sources. The minister emphasised that by 2030, Egypt aims to make sustainable, green urban development and construction the defining feature of its urban growth—anchored in resource efficiency, renewable energy, and environmentally responsible building practices. He added that this shift will help safeguard the country's resources while improving citizens' economic conditions. Assistant Minister Abdel Khalek Ibrahim presented a roadmap for Egypt's transition to green construction between 2025 and 2030. The plan sets out phased steps, beginning with the introduction of incentive schemes, awareness programmes, and a green electronic platform, followed by full activation of the system, broader implementation, and the setting of future targets. He also outlined measures already under way in 2025, including the launch of the first package of building incentives, the rollout of awareness and capacity-building programmes for government leaders and executives, and the establishment of an online platform dedicated to green urban development that provides technical details, incentives, financing options, and project information. Additional measures include equipping government buildings and stations with renewable energy sources, finalising the Green Building Guide, leveraging carbon credits for ongoing projects, expanding public green spaces and corridors in housing developments, and strengthening the role of the Egyptian Green Building Council and its executive office. The meeting also reviewed NUCA's financial performance, including actual and projected revenues for the 2025/2026 fiscal year and expected revenues following measures to maximise resource use. The discussion covered actual expenditure for July and August 2025, along with spending on ongoing projects in new cities such as New Alamein, the New Administrative Capital, the Executive Authority for Drinking Water and Wastewater, the Egyptian Electricity Holding Company, the "Fustat Hills Gardens" project, and other initiatives. Emphasis was placed on NUCA meeting its revenue targets, accelerating project implementation, and closely evaluating performance across various sectors and sites. The Minister of Housing also provided an update on land allocations for residential purposes, underscoring NUCA's efforts to expand offerings in line with growing demand in new cities. These efforts, he noted, support the state's policy of providing adequate housing across income brackets. He further reviewed the first offering under the second phase of the "Your Home in Egypt" initiative, launched in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of State for Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates' Affairs. Targeting Egyptians abroad, this phase will provide around 3,000 residential, commercial, and administrative units across three offerings, with flexible pricing and payment options. Finally, El-Sherbiny reported on the progress of the presidential initiative "Housing for All Egyptians." He noted that the booking period under the second announcement of "Housing for All Egyptians 7"—which targets low- and middle-income groups—will end on Sunday, 14 September.
