Sherif El Sherbini, Egypt’s Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities, held a meeting with Nikita Stasyshyn, Deputy Minister of Construction, Housing, and Utilities of Russia, along with his accompanying delegation, to explore avenues for strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two nations, Invest-Gate reports.

Present at the meeting were Sayed Ismail, Deputy Minister of Housing, and Hassan El-Laithy, Advisor to the Ministry for International Cooperation.

El Sherbini warmly welcomed Stasyshyn and his team to Egypt, acknowledging their participation in the 12th edition of the World Urban Forum (WUF12) and highlighting the robust and longstanding relations between Egypt and Russia. He emphasized Egypt’s rich urban experience across various sectors, reflecting the implementation of directives from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

The Minister elaborated on Egypt’s successful initiatives in developing unsafe areas and relocating residents to fully equipped residential units within well-appointed communities offering comprehensive services, thereby enhancing residents’ quality of life. The Russian delegation expressed profound admiration for Egypt’s accomplishments in this realm.

Additionally, El Sherbini outlined Egypt’s endeavors in executing the presidential initiative “Decent Life” projects aimed at rural development, launched by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to enhance living conditions for approximately 60 million rural Egyptians.

Russian officials in the delegation highlighted their own experiences in rural development, expressing eagerness to exchange insights and collaborate with Egypt in this domain.

The Russian delegation proposed drafting a memorandum of understanding with the Egyptian Ministry of Housing, a suggestion that El Sherbini welcomed. He directed the initiation of further meetings between specialists from both sides to craft an actionable work plan and translate cooperative intentions into tangible outcomes.