Syria and Egypt Discuss Technical Cooperation in Urban Development and Housing

Ministerial Meeting in Cairo

Syrian Minister of Public Works and Housing Mustafa Abdul Razzaq held an official meeting in Cairo with Egyptian Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities Randa Al-Manshawy. The meeting was attended by Syrian Ambassador to Egypt Yahya Diab and technical delegations from both sides.

Discussions covered ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in housing, urban planning, and urban development, as well as the exchange of expertise in establishing and developing new cities and urban communities, land management, utilities, and infrastructure.

Visit to the Urban Development Fund

Minister Abdul Razzaq visited the headquarters of Egypt's Urban Development Fund and met with the Fund's Chairman and Assistant Minister of Housing Khaled Siddiq. Talks focused on mechanisms for direct technical cooperation and the opening of institutional channels to support rebuilding and recovery efforts in Syria.

The minister and his delegation were briefed on the Fund's experience across several areas, including:

• Addressing and upgrading unsafe and informal settlements
• Rehabilitating deteriorated urban areas and developing provincial capitals
• Managing real estate assets and revitalising neighbourhoods
• Financing models and ensuring the sustainability of projects after completion

Syria's Rebuilding Vision

Minister Abdul Razzaq stated, as reported by SANA, that the Egyptian experience is of particular relevance given the existence of extensive areas in Syria requiring interventions that go beyond conventional construction, toward rehabilitating the urban fabric and restoring economic and social life to cities and neighbourhoods.

The minister noted that Syria's rebuilding vision extends beyond physical construction to encompass protecting residents' rights, improving service levels, and creating an environment that supports stability, employment, and development.

Technical Cooperation Areas

Khaled Siddiq presented the Fund's operational mechanisms, the stages of its development, and the methodologies used to identify target areas and set intervention priorities, as well as approaches to engaging residents and rights holders.

Both sides emphasised the importance of exchanging expertise between technical teams in the two countries, and studying the feasibility of adapting the Fund's operational models to design programmes and projects suited to the specific legal, social, and urban characteristics of affected areas in Syria.

Context of the Visit

The visit forms part of the Ministry of Public Works and Housing's efforts to support urban development and rebuilding in Syria by drawing on regional development experiences in addressing informal and unsafe settlements.