Dr. Abdelkhalek Ibrahim, Assistant Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities for Technical Affairs, held a meeting to discuss the Ministry of Housing’s preparations for the ambitious Egyptian National Strategy for Smart Cities, Invest-Gate reports.

The meeting, conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, the Ministry of Local Development, and international development partners—including the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the World Bank Group—marks a turning point in the urban development process for the first phase of new cities.

This initiative follows the announcement of the National Strategy for Smart Cities, which was attended by Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi during the opening of the 12th World Urban Forum (WUF12) in Egypt.

Ibrahim explained that this comprehensive strategy is designed to address the challenges of rapid urban expansion, accommodate population growth, and improve the quality of life for all citizens by finding smart, innovative solutions in Egypt’s new cities. The goal is to transform existing new cities into smart cities, enabling them to tackle challenges such as energy conservation and the provision of new resources by maximizing the utilization of assets.

This initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance the quality of life in new cities, with directives from Eng. Sherif El Sherbini, Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities, to advance its launch.

He added that the strategy is based on seven main, interconnected development sectors that represent key areas for smart transformation: urban services, housing and community services; urban facilities; smart mobility; smart economy; environment; institutional enablers and smart e-governance; and digitization/data and information and communications technology.

Ibrahim highlighted the introduction of smart monitoring systems for water quality and electricity networks, the promotion of non-motorized transportation and smart traffic management, and the establishment of advanced digital platforms to improve public services.

Furthermore, the strategy aims to stimulate private sector investment in the knowledge economy and information and communications technology, develop specialized policy frameworks for research and development, and implement smart waste management systems to enhance sustainability and efficiency in all new cities.

These targeted interventions are designed to transform urban environments into resilient, economically prosperous, and inclusive centers, leveraging knowledge, innovation, and digital capabilities to improve daily life.