Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities Assem el-Gazzar and officials of the UN Human Settlement Programme (HABITAT) Tuesday reviewed progress in ‘Integrated Civilised Development – Our District’ under way in the governorates of Qena and Menoufia on a trial basis.
HABITAT is carrying out the projects which are jointly financed by a Swiss donation and the Egyptian government.
During the meeting with the HABITAT officials, el-Gazzar stressed the need to amend timetables to speed up work on the projects, which will improve living standards in four areas.
The purpose of ‘Our District’ is urban development through experimental projects in urban planning, the minister said.
The general aim of the projects is to promote a more transparent, efficient and sustainable method for managing land, as well as the planning and implementing of infrastructure projects, he added.
In another development, Minister el-Gazzar emphasised President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s orders to depend on national companies in carrying out the Decent Life initiative.
This statement came during a meeting with officials of a leading Egyptian company to discuss cooperation in drinking water and sanitation projects for the rural development initiative.
The minister also referred to presidential directives for the collective purchase of needs for Decent Life projects to rationalise costs with a view to improving the living conditions for 55 million Egyptians in the countryside.
Company officials reviewed the potentials their firm and its track record in local and regional projects.
