Egypt’s Prime Minister, Mostafa Madbouly, on Tuesday witnessed a high-level celebration marking 10 years of Egypt’s flagship presidential housing initiative, “Housing for All Egyptians” , highlighting unprecedented achievements in affordable housing and sustainable urban development, carried out in cooperation with the World Bank Group.
The event, organized by the Social Housing and Mortgage Finance Fund (SHMFF), also marked Egypt’s receipt of the EDGE Advanced green building certification from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) for thousands of social housing units—an international recognition of resource efficiency and climate-conscious construction.
One of the Largest Social Housing Programs in the Region
Since its launch in 2014 under the directives of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the initiative has evolved from a plan to build one million housing units into one of the largest social housing programs in the Middle East and Africa.
According to SHMFF CEO Mai Abdelhamid, Egypt is now implementing 1.72 million housing units, with:
- More than 790,000 units completed for low-income citizens
- 242,000 units currently under construction
- 40,000 new units recently offered in the latest public housing announcements
“These are not just housing blocks,” Abdelhamid said. “They are fully integrated urban communities linked to education, healthcare, transportation, and essential services—turning the dream of decent housing into a lived reality for millions of Egyptians.”
Strong International Partnership With the World Bank Group
The celebration was held in cooperation with the World Bank Group’s Inclusive Housing Finance Program, which has provided long-term financing, technical expertise, and global best practices to support Egypt’s housing ecosystem.
Sherif Hamdy, Senior Operations Officer at the World Bank, described the initiative as a “pioneering national program” that successfully combined subsidy reform, institutional capacity building, and mortgage market development.
“The World Bank is proud to have supported Egypt over the past decade in building a sustainable and inclusive housing finance system that serves low-income families across the country,” Hamdy said.
IFC Awards EDGE Advanced Certification for Green Housing
A major highlight of the event was the awarding of the EDGE Advanced – Preliminary Certificate by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) for the design of more than 14,000 social housing units.
EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies) is a global green building standard developed by IFC to promote energy efficiency, water savings, and reduced carbon emissions.
Cheikh Omar Sylla, IFC Regional Director for North Africa and the Horn of Africa, said the certification sets a new benchmark for sustainable affordable housing in the region.
“The Social Housing Fund is leading an innovative approach that proves affordable housing can also be environmentally responsible,” Sylla said. “This initiative reflects Egypt’s commitment to inclusive growth and sound environmental stewardship.”
Social Justice and Sustainable Development
Housing Minister Sherif El-Sherbiny emphasized that housing remains a top national priority, calling it a cornerstone of social justice and constitutional rights.
He revealed that Egypt has already completed nearly 1.4 million housing units, with hundreds of thousands more underway or planned in the coming period.
Meanwhile, Planning and Economic Development Minister Rania Al-Mashat described the initiative as one of Egypt’s most important social protection programs.
“Housing for All Egyptians reflects the integration of economic and social policies, placing citizens at the heart of development and improving quality of life nationwide,” she said.
A Model for Inclusive and Green Urban Growth
Video presentations during the ceremony featured testimonials from beneficiaries and international officials, including Stefan Gimbert, World Bank Country Director for Egypt, Djibouti, and Yemen, who praised Egypt’s bold step a decade ago to ensure decent housing for low-income families.
World Bank experts also highlighted Egypt’s success in combining targeted cash subsidies, mortgage finance expansion, and gender inclusion—turning the Social Housing Fund into a global model.
Scalable to PPP
In his closing remarks, Prime Minister Madbouly expressed pride in the initiative’s achievements and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding affordable, green housing through public-private partnerships and continued international cooperation.
As Egypt enters the next decade of its social housing journey, the combination of scale, sustainability, and global partnership positions the country as a regional leader in inclusive urban development.
