Eng. Randa El-Menshawy, the Chairperson of Egypt’s Sovereign Fund and First Assistant to the Prime Minister for Follow-up Affairs, has been appointed Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities, becoming the first woman to lead the ministry since its establishment.
The appointment places El-Menshawy at the head of one of Egypt’s most influential state institutions. The housing ministry oversees urban planning, public housing, and nationwide water and sanitation networks, and plays a central role in shaping the country’s long-term development strategy.
Institutional Expertise In Action
El-Menshawy’s rise reflects a career rooted in public administration and infrastructure governance. She joined the Ministry of Housing in 1998, beginning her work at the Research and Construction Studies Authority, where she advanced through technical and executive roles.
In 2009, she was appointed Vice President of the Research and Construction Studies Authority, later serving as Director General of the same body. In 2012, she assumed the role of Head of the Central Department for the Minister’s Office, a position that placed her at the center of ministerial coordination and decision-making.
Over the following years, El-Menshawy continued to move through the ministry’s senior leadership structure, holding positions including Vice Minister of Housing and overseeing key follow-up and implementation functions across multiple sectors.
Expanding Executive Responsibilities
In 2019, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly appointed El-Menshawy First Assistant to the Prime Minister for Follow-up Affairs, while she continued to carry responsibilities within the Ministry of Housing. The appointment reflected confidence in her ability to oversee complex, cross-ministerial programs and ensure alignment between policy objectives and execution.
In parallel, she assumed the role of Chairperson of Egypt’s Sovereign Fund, further expanding her remit into strategic asset management and state investment oversight, which reinforced her standing as a senior technocratic figure within the executive branch.
Oversight of National Development Projects
Throughout her career, El-Menshawy has been involved in the oversight of projects in the Northwest Gulf of Suez Special Economic Zone, the Comprehensive Development of the City of Luxor, and later, flagship urban developments such as the New Administrative Capital, New Alamein City, and the Beit Al-Watan housing project.
She has also represented the Housing Ministry on the Board of Directors of the Administrative Capital for Urban Development Company, and supervised programs related to social housing, utilities expansion, and the development of new urban communities.
Infrastructure and Public Services
During her tenure overseeing the utilities sector, nearly 400 drinking water and sanitation projects were completed nationwide. The projects contributed to strengthening infrastructure capacity and improving the quality and reliability of public services across several governorates.
Her responsibilities further included enhancing monitoring and evaluation systems, supporting civil society participation in water and wastewater initiatives, and overseeing programs targeting unplanned urban areas.
Trailblazing Appointment
El-Menshawy’s appointment marks a historic first for the ministry and reflects the increasing presence of women in Egypt’s senior executive leadership. It is the culmination of a long technocratic career spanning research, planning, project oversight, and high-level coordination across government.
As she assumes office, El-Menshawy brings with her decades of institutional experience and a portfolio that bridges infrastructure development, public service delivery, and strategic state management.
