Under the slogan Misr Betaarablek (Egypt Is Getting Closer), the leading developers from the Egyptian real estate market headed to Abu Dhabi with the Nile Property Expo to showcase the latest projects and developments across the sector. The Ministry of Immigration and Expatriate Affairs, in partnership with the Ministry of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Development, sponsored the Nile Property Expo; and to our privilege, we sat with H.E. Dr. Nabila Makram, Minister of Immigration and Expatriate Affairs for a quick talk about the expo and her ministry’s cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Housing in supporting such an initiative despite the many challenges the sector faces today.

The Nile Property Expo was inaugurated on December 14 and ran until December 16. Minister of Immigration and Expatriate Affairs Dr. Nabila Makram along with H.H. Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan inaugurated the expo and expressed their gratitude with the quality of the projects across Egypt’s real estate sector presented there.

We would like to know how you view the Nile Property Expo? And what made the ministry adopt such an initiative?

I am beyond delighted to have played a role in supporting the Nile Property Expo. I am happy to have accompanied H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan inaugurating the expo. This expo presents a great image of Egypt and its businessmen and developers. It is with great pleasure to see these many companies aiding our economy to prosper our country. I am very much impressed with the quality of products that are being presented and see genuine appreciation from the Egyptian visitors and the Arab visitors as well.

My role here as Minister of Immigration and Egyptian Expatriate Affairs, in collaboration with the Ministry of Housing, Utility, and Urban Development, is to help promote our real estate sector and present it to Egyptian expats in the UAE as well as to foreign homebuyers.

As per our culture, we are rooted to our land and house and hereby, I bring the Egyptian world of real estate to the Egyptians living abroad. Egyptian expats, specifically, are keen on buying properties in their homeland and this exhibition puts all Egyptian products under one roof for expatriates and foreigners to explore and hopefully, be motivated to buy.

In what way do you see such an exhibition vital to Egyptians living abroad?

Well this exhibition covers all products of this ever-growing and vibrant sector. From what I saw here, some -if not all companies- have various products ranging in size and value to cater to all needs from couples, small families, and larger families. Here you find semi-governmental projects as well as private projects for every visitor to choose from. I praise the partnerships that took place in recent months between the private sector and entities of the housing ministry. Such partnerships are the key to the future development of the sector specifically, and only, if we all put our efforts and work together, to advance our nation.

And how do you see such an exhibition attracting the Arab buyer?

From what we have witnessed here, it is fair to say that not only have Egyptian expats come for an overview of the Egyptian real estate market, but we have seen a number of Arab families and businessmen coming for an opportunity to invest in our property market. The needs for every homebuyer might differ from an Egyptian to an Arab, yet as I said, this exhibition combines major developers with very attractive projects across Egypt’s cities to meet all needs.

How do you view the future of such initiatives? And will you take part in upcoming international exhibitions that target the ‘Real Estate Export’?

I very much support such an initiative and praise its start given the quality of organization and the products on display. I highly doubt that this will be a one-time thing. I see a great future for such international real estate exhibitions and will be supporting them wherever they go.

I hope that exhibitions of this quality tour the world across all capitals to promote our real estate sector, the backbone of the Egyptian economy. This cooperation between the government and the private sector is a beautiful scene that I would like to showcase worldwide.

We would like to know how does the Ministry of Immigration and Expatriate Affairs support the country’s mission on exporting real estate? How do you bring Egyptian expats to invest in the Egyptian property market?

We are on a mission alongside the Ministries of Housing and Foreign Affairs, in addition to Tahya Misr Fund to encourage Egyptian expats to help develop our nation. In this occasion, we focus on developing the real estate sector of Egypt. We are always in touch with the expats communities all over the world. Not only are we here to promote businesses back home, but we are also keen on listening to their needs, we are also keen on engaging in the expertise on the development of Egypt.

Previously, we have used such expertise in Misr Tastatee’ (Egypt Can) conferences in the building and development of the Suez Canal Economic Zone. We also engaged with businesswomen who shared their expertise across all sectors with our Misr Tastatee’ Bel Taa El Marbouta (Egypt Can…Led By Women). This is our ongoing initiative to engage in all Egyptians abroad and help prosper Egypt.

The real estate sector is, too, of equal importance and we are here to gain the expats’ trust and support and divert their investments back to Egypt. To our Egyptian expats in the UAE, we are here to listen as well as provide support to those entrepreneurs and help them start their projects or new business ventures in Egypt. We care to bring support, trust, and flexibility to expat entrepreneurs in this exhibition.