Egypt’s Prime Minister, Mostafa Madbouly ,inspected several key projects spearheaded by the Urban Development Fund (UDF) on Saturday, reaffirming the government’s commitment to transforming informal settlements into thriving service areas. This initiative aligns with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s vision for urban development and social upliftment.
During his visit on Saturday, Madbouly toured the construction site of the “Craft Workshops” and “Alternative Housing” complex located in the North Craftsmen area of Al-Duwayqa, Cairo. Accompanied by Cairo Governor Ibrahim Saber and Urban Development Fund Chairperson Khaled Siddiq, the Prime Minister highlighted the project’s strategic importance in enhancing local infrastructure and services for residents.
Siddiq detailed the project’s dual-phase approach, with the first phase, which spans 42 of the total 62 acres, already 80% complete since its commencement in August 2022. This initial phase features 15 residential buildings, each standing nine stories high, collectively offering 600 units of alternative housing, with each unit measuring 90 square meters. During the inspection, Madbouly assessed the quality of the construction, focusing on both interior and exterior finishes.
As the tour continued, Siddiq elaborated on the “Craft Workshops Complex,” which has been expanded to include two floors across four zones (A, B, C, and D), increasing the number of workshops from an initial 534 to 782. Zone B alone will house 254 workshops and a service building, while Zones C and D will contain 170 and 160 workshops respectively, each accompanied by dedicated service buildings. The complex will also include facilities such as a church with a capacity for 350 attendees, a vocational school with 24 classrooms and five laboratories, and a community support center.
In addition, the first phase will integrate three wholesale market facilities and establish a medium- and low-voltage electricity network to support these developments.
With these initiatives, the Egyptian government is taking proactive steps to foster urban development, enhance community services, and ultimately improve the quality of life for residents in informal settlements.
