Egypt’s Minister of Housing Assem El-Gazzar has stated that approximately 1.4 million housing units have been fully or partly constructed, at a total cost of EGP 607bn within since 2014.
The minister said that the social housing programme accounted for the largest share of housing units (more than 630,000 units), and more 230,000 units are being constructed, at a total cost of EGP 193bn. The alternative-housing programme for residents of informal settlements ranked second by 260,000 housing units. Additional 500,400 units are being developed at a total cost of EGP 67.9bn for the alternative-housing programme. The rest of the units went to middle-income housing projects; Sakan Misr and Dar Misr, and premium housing, Janna and Villas.
El-Gazzar noted that the ministry worked to provide different models of housing programmes to meet the increasing demand for housing in rural and urban areas, and to reduce the negative effects of unplanned urban growth. Furthermore, to provide adequate housing for every citizen in a way that suits income level, while giving priority to young people and those with limited incomes. Besides, the provision of housing units for middle-income people, as well as the availability of luxury units for people with higher incomes, in a manner that meets requests of all segments of society, in addition to alternative housing units that have been developed to accommodate residents of unsafe areas.
Regarding the ministry’s projects in the other areas, El-Jazzar pointed out that 279 housing projects have been completed and are underway, including 81,318 housing units and more than 2,000 commercial stores at a cost of approximately EGP 19bn. Likewise, 478 road projects have been and are being completed, with a length of 5820.5 km, at a cost exceeding EGP 62bn. Moreover, 619 service projects have been and are being developed at a cost of about EGP 11bn.
In the sector of drinking water, sewage, and seawater desalination, 2,195 projects have been carried out and are underway, at a cost of roughly EGP 254bn. Further, the ministry’s participation with state agencies in the project of the two agricultural drainage treatment plants Al-Mahasama and Bahr El-Baqar, with funding of about EGP 16bn, replacement and renewal projects, and projects of the “Decent Life” initiative.
With regard to infrastructure projects in new cities, El-Gazzar explained that 226 drinking water and sanitation projects have been completed at a cost of more than EGP 94bn, and 1,516 service projects covering all services needed by residents of the new cities, at a total cost of more than EGP 17.2bn. In addition, the development of 18,216 km of roads, 136 bridges, 20 tunnels for cars, and 42 tunnels and bridges for pedestrians has been completed.
