The minister of housing participates in the Senate session to discuss the draft amendment of some provisions of the building Law No. 119 of 2008
316 thousand social housing units are being implemented, 186 thousand of which will be delivered to citizens during 2025.. And 130 thousand during 2026.. It is planned to introduce 70 thousand units at the current stage
We have a plan for medium, above-average, premium and investment housing that includes tens of thousands of diverse units to meet the needs of various segments of society
Sherif El-Sherbini, Minister of housing, utilities and urban communities, participated this morning in the Senate session to discuss the draft law submitted by the government to amend some provisions of the building law issued by Law No. 119 of 2008, where he expressed his happiness to be present with the members of the council to discuss the amendments to this important law to ease the burden on citizens and support the movement of urbanization.
Sherif El Sherbini began his speech by presenting the ministry’s most important achievements in housing issues in accordance with the state’s vision of accommodating the growing numbers of Egyptians in an innovative and sustainable way, as the state has given much of its attention to providing the needs of the population and improving living conditions through two main axes, the first of which means providing new housing units for all segments of society, and the second is related to the development of existing cities and slums.
The minister of Housing explained that the ministry’s policy in providing housing units was based on the main pillars, which are to support The unable groups through the “social housing program” and support and access to other categories through “medium and above-average housing”, within the framework of supporting The unable groups, the implementation of about 684 thousand social housing units was completed during the period (2014 – 2024) with a total cost of 110 billion pounds not limited to new cities but included all governorates, 602 thousand units have been allocated, 316 thousand units are being implemented, 186 thousand units of which will be delivered to citizens during 2025, in addition to 130 thousand housing units during 2026, and 70 thousand housing units are planned to be put up at the current stage.
The minister pointed out that there is a plan for medium and above – average housing, distinguished and investment housing that includes tens of thousands of various units to meet the needs of various segments of society, in addition to the ministry’s plan until 2030 to put up about 25 thousand small residential plots in new cities distributed on various housing axes (medium – distinctive-more distinctive), in addition to offering land and units within the Home Home project for Egyptians abroad.
Sherif El-Sherbini also touched upon the efforts of the Ministry of housing in the development of existing areas and slums, projects to develop areas of value (the project to develop the site of the great Transfiguration above the land of peace in the city of St. Catherine – historical Cairo projects), as well as road projects implemented by the central agency for reconstruction in some governorates, projects to improve the quality of life, partnership projects with the private sector, and development projects in Upper Egypt to turn them into attractive areas for investment, in addition to the big boom in the sector of drinking water and sanitation facilities.
According to the government program, the Egyptian state pays attention to the file of urban expansion and increasing the populated area through the expansion of sustainable cities and fourth-generation cities, as the ministry is working to continue the development of the existing cities of 22 cities through the implementation of various housing programs and service projects, and raising the efficiency of services performance in those cities, and the ministry’s plan has been adopted in the next stage to inventory the assets of cities and intensify the utilization of investment to ensure the financial sustainability of cities.
He added: with regard to the fourth generation cities, the implementation of residential and economic projects is being supplemented by 38 new “fourth generation” cities to create sustainable job opportunities in those cities and attract local and international investments, as the government’s plan also aims to build a competitive economy that attracts investments and consolidate the pillars of economic advancement through the implementation of a number of projects, among the most important new Aswan and New Mansoura.
With regard to the construction law, the minister of housing pointed out that the Construction Law No. 119 of 2008 was issued according to a new methodology and mechanism that differs from the previous several laws, unifying all laws related to the construction system in one law in a logical sequence according to the sections of the law (Urban Planning – Urban coordination – organization of construction works – preservation of real estate wealth – penalties), as the Ministry of housing was keen to follow up the effects resulting from the application of this law since its issuance, the problems of its application, and the obstacles faced by citizens and those in charge of implementing the law.
Sherif El-Sherbini said that the Ministry of Housing has already prepared a draft law amending some provisions of the construction law and the law issued by it No. 119 of 2008 and was approved by the Council of ministers, and was discussed through the Joint Committee of Housing, Local Administration and transport, and the Office of the constitutional and legislative affairs committee of the Senate, which prepared its report, which is being discussed today.
The minister explained that the amendments included the articles of issuing the law, the section of urban planning, the section of organizing construction works, the section of preserving wealth, and then the section of penalties, and in view of the section of urban planning, the amendments included redefining the functions of the Supreme Council for urban planning, defining the competencies of the General Authority for urban planning technical, and its work mechanisms, including technical supervision of the general departments of urban planning in the governorates, and replacing strategic plans with urban development plans to expand the concept and not limited to one of the planning tools.
He added: the amendments to the section of the organization of construction works aimed at simplifying procedures, facilitating citizens, and establishing the necessary controls to ensure the structural safety of buildings and facilities, and the speed of confronting construction without a license, especially outside the approved urban estates, and the speed of removing them to preserve the agricultural patch in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, while the amendments to the section aimed at preserving real estate wealth, to put a quick and effective mechanism to activate the provisions of the separation of the Union of occupants, especially in residential communities that would improve the management of the maintenance system to preserve real estate wealth.
The minister of housing pointed out that in light of the developments and efforts exerted to restore discipline to Egyptian urbanism, the Council of cabinet advisers, the Ministry of justice, the Ministry of Housing, and all ministries and authorities concerned with the implementation of the provisions of the construction law, have been holding meetings to study and consult on any necessary amendments to the draft law to accommodate these developments, and we are about to finalize them.
Sherif El Sherbini, Minister of housing, utilities and urban communities, concluded his speech at the Senate session to discuss the draft law submitted by the government to amend some provisions of the building law issued by Law No. 119 of 2008, expressing his hope that the draft law will come in line with these developments to achieve its goals in regulating Egyptian urbanization.
