Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly met ministers and officials on Monday to review progress on overhauling Egypt’s scheme for settling certain building violations and legalising the properties concerned, following instructions issued by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the Egypt Forum 2026.
The meeting was attended by Manal Awad, minister of local development and environment; Alaa El-Din Farouk, minister of agriculture and land reclamation; Mostafa El-Naggar, head of the housing and utilities sector at the housing ministry; and Hossam Rashed, head of the agriculture ministry’s central administration for land protection.
Madbouly said the government attached great importance to the file because it directly affects a large share of citizens. He said the problems that had emerged in applying the law needed to be fixed, and that tangible concessions were required to meet its goals and widen the number of people who benefit from it.
Forum recommendations
The meeting reviewed the targets and recommendations of the Egypt Forum 2026 on the settlement file. They call for simpler procedures that speed up legalisation and ease the burden on citizens, with the process to be completed within 12 months of an amendment to the law being passed, taking account of people’s social circumstances and ability to pay.
The recommendations also call for settlement fees to reflect differences in market values between areas, and for a distinction between private housing for low-income families and commercial or investment use. They propose wider use of affordable instalment plans, incentives for early payment and fewer documents for applicants.
Officials discussed how to put these concessions into practice, including revising the conditions and paperwork required, changing how settlement fees are assessed, and updating payment and instalment systems. The aim, according to the cabinet, is to balance citizens’ social and economic circumstances with fair pricing and the protection of the state’s rights.
Talks with parliament
Madbouly instructed officials to contact members of the House of Representatives who have submitted proposals and amendments to the draft settlement law, in order to agree on wording that reflects the different views.
He said the amendments should make settlement easier for citizens while introducing controls to stop violations recurring and to close the door on new unlicensed construction, as part of a wider push for planning discipline.
The prime minister closed the meeting by directing ministries and agencies to finish co-ordinating quickly, refine the proposed procedures and complete the legislative drafting, so that the legal changes and the systems needed to apply them are ready together. He said the presidential directives and the forum’s recommendations had to be turned into practical steps that make life easier for citizens while protecting the state’s rights.
