Egypt has unveiled its Smart Cities Strategy, a nationwide plan designed to reshape urban development, address rapid population growth, and integrate sustainability into the country’s growth model.

Minister of Local Development and Acting Minister of Environment, Manal Awad, said the strategy aims to address urbanization, climate challenges, and spatial justice while fostering new opportunities for economic growth and social inclusion.

Unlike earlier approaches that focused primarily on building new urban centers, the framework incorporates both existing and new cities into a unified national vision.

Awad emphasized that smart cities require more than advanced technologies, highlighting the need for legislation, financing mechanisms, and community participation to ensure citizens play an active role in shaping urban development.

The launch event brought together senior officials, including the Ministers of Housing and Communications, the governors of Cairo and Giza, representatives of the World Bank, foreign diplomats, and private sector stakeholders.

Sustainable urban development is a core priority in the government’s 2024–2027 program. Ongoing initiatives include upgrading infrastructure and services in existing cities, redeveloping informal settlements, and establishing new smart cities to accommodate population growth and drive innovation.

The Egyptian Cities Atlas, developed with World Bank support, will serve as a critical planning tool, consolidating economic, social, environmental, and spatial data to guide future projects.

Awad stressed that people-centered development is at the heart of the strategy, with a focus on housing, essential services, safe mobility, economic opportunities, and a healthy environment—all aligned with Egypt’s Vision 2030 and global sustainability goals.

“Smart cities in Egypt are not just urban projects; they are a vision of a modern, inclusive, and sustainable Egypt—where existing cities are transformed, and new cities are designed for the future,” Awad concluded.