Egypt’s Ministry of Local Development, represented by En. Alaa El-Din Abdel Fattah, Assistant Minister for Planning and Urban Development, participated in the Third Arab Land Conference in Rabat.
Under the theme “Land at the Core of Current Challenges: Investment, Resilience, and Innovation, the conference featured a panel discussion titled “Enhancing Benefits Through Land Planning and Management in Egypt,” received Dr. Ayman El-Shehabi, Governor of Damietta; Dr. Khaled Abdel Halim, Governor of Qena; Eng. Khaled Siddiq, Chairman of Urban Development; and Ahmed Rizk, Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Egypt Office.
Knowledge Exchange and Stakeholder Coordination
The conference provided a platform to discuss country experiences, present new research, inform and direct investments, and strengthen high-level commitment to improving the land sector.
In his speech, Abdel Fattah expressed his pleasure at participating in this important conference, which he described as a significant milestone in promoting good land governance to achieve social, economic, and environmental benefits and peace in the Arab region.
During his panel discussion, he reviewed Egypt’s experience in land management and discussed mechanisms and ways to enhance cooperation and exchange expertise. He emphasized the importance of land planning and management and its effective role in financing integrated and comprehensive urban development programs, as well as promoting planned and effective financing in urban areas.
Participatory Approach to Land Management
Abdel Fattah stressed the necessity of having a mechanism for land management within Egyptian cities through a participatory approach between state agencies and landowners. This approach aims to enhance urban efficiency and sustainable urban environment while ensuring tenure and ownership for landowners. He presented several scenarios for partnership methods and efficient management.
He also highlighted the importance of joint Arab work in land management and promoting sustainable investment, the significance of good land planning and effective management to maximize benefits, enhancing financing for integrated urban development programs, and exchanging visions and experiences among representatives of participating cities, urban planning experts, researchers, and international organizations. The goal is to establish specific mechanisms to meet the growing needs in the housing sector and sustainable urban development, and to develop smart city planning mechanisms.
Presentation of “Hayena” Project in Damietta and Qena
The session also included a presentation of the “Hayena” (Our Neighborhood) project being implemented in Damietta and Qena governorates. This project is a collaboration between UN-Habitat Egypt Office and the Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities, in partnership with the General Authority for Urban Planning, supported by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) with joint funding from the Egyptian and Swiss governments.
Strengthening Arab and International Cooperation
The Ministry of Local Development’s participation in the Arab Land Conference comes within the framework of the Egyptian government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen Arab and international cooperation in providing opportunities related to land governance in the Arab region, and promoting sustainable land management
