Egypt: Minister Hala Al-Saeed takes part in Bahrain’s housing solutions side event

Egypt: Egyptian Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Hala Al-Saeed, participated in a side event titled “Innovative and sustainable solutions to provide adequate housing” organized by Bahrain’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Development on Thursday, 20 July 2023. 

The event was held on the margin of her participation in the high-level political forum for sustainable development in the United Nations in New York held under the slogan “Accelerating coronavirus recovery and full implementation For the Sustainable Development Plan 2030 at All Levels.”

The meeting was held from July 10-19 in the presence of Amna Bint Ahmed Al-Ramyhi – Minister of Housing and Urban Planning in Bahrain, Memouna Muhammad Sharif – Executive Director UN Human Settlements Program (Habitation), and Shebra Narang Suri – Head of the Urban Practices Department -Habitation Nations united.

During her speech at the event, Hala Al-Saeed reviewed Egypt’s efforts to overcome the growing challenges in the housing sector, where Egypt was one of the countries that included the right to housing in its constitution under Article No. (78). Following this, the state recognized the right of citizens to decent, safe and healthy housing that preserves human dignity and achieves social justice.

It was noted that the nation’s aim of providing adequate housing is also a fundamental national goal of the National Strategy for Sustainable Development: Egypt Vision 2030, to provide better living conditions for all Egyptian citizens as part of achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals agenda.

Al-Saeed pointed out that the Egyptian government aims to achieve many strategic goals in urban development, such as increasing the metropolitan area in accordance with the available resources, the size of the population and their distribution, improving the quality of the urban environment, and maximizing the utilization of Egypt’s strategic location.

In addition, the Egyptian government 2021 launched the strategic year The Patriot of Human Rights, which included a section dedicated to the right to adequate housing as an important economic and social right. 

The strategy had several objectives:

• Increasing the number of residential units for all social segments.
• Providing and developing basic facilities in residential communities and new cities.
• Creating unsafe random neighbourhoods.
• Developing areas that still require urban planning.
• Renewing primary infrastructure.

Al-Saeed talked about the human development report released by Egypt in 2021, titled “Development is a Right for All: Egypt on the Track and Track,” which emphasized that promoting the right to adequate housing is one of the most important investments in human development. “The report also mentioned that 248 thousand citizens received support from the Housing Fund Social and real estate financing support from 2014 to June 2019”, said the Minister.

The reports highlighted that a huge number of citizens benefited besides increasing the percentage of sanitation services to 65% in 2020 compared to 50% in 2014 and increasing access to drinking water service to 98.7% in 2020 compared with 97% in 2014, making Egypt progress 48 places in the Infrastructure Competitiveness Index, reaching 52nd in 2019 compared to 100th in 2014.

The Al-Saeed confirmed that these efforts are expected to significantly improve living conditions in rural areas under the ‘Generous Life Initiative’, with the anticipated increase in drinking water access from currently 97% to 100% and access to sanitation services from 20% to 90% and contributing these Positive achievements in improving housing conditions, especially for low-income families.

Al-Sayed confirmed that the Egyptian state had achieved unprecedented achievements in providing adequate housing through expanding housing projects and programs for people of limited income, stating that in the past nine years. She pointed out that investments worth 540 billion pounds have been allocated to the sector, leading to many achievements which have been achieved and delivered More than 500,000 residential units for limited income.

Al-Saeed explained that the “Long Live Egypt” Fund, founded in 2014, works to develop random areas and provide alternative housing units for lucky residents, including Long Live Egypt projects in Asmarat, Bashayer Al-Khair project in Alexandria, Al-Assal area in Shubra neighbourhood in Cairo.

“The fund has also developed and constructed 61.000 houses in 383 villages benefiting 307.000 citizens; It is confirmed that these efforts align with Sustainable development goal No. 17 “, contract partnerships to achieve the goals”, concluded the Minister of Planning.