03 October 2025
Egypt has announced the launch of its National Smart Cities Strategy which aims to integrate cutting-edge technologies, promote sustainable development, and enhance citizen participation in urban governance across both existing and future cities.
Minister of Local Development and Acting Minister of Environment Manal Awad emphasised that this strategy marks a significant shift in Egypt’s urban development approach. She highlighted that it seeks to address the challenges posed by rapid urbanisation, climate change, and spatial inequality, while creating opportunities for economic growth and social inclusion, with citizens remaining at the core of the vision.
The strategy emphasises modernising current urban centres by upgrading infrastructure, improving public services, and restructuring informal settlements. Concurrently, it envisions the development of new smart cities designed to accommodate the country’s growing population and foster innovation. These advanced urban areas will feature connected infrastructure, intelligent transportation systems, optimised energy and water management, and digital public services aimed at enhancing residents' quality of life.
This move comes amid increasing urbanisation pressures across Africa, where the UN-Habitat projects that the continent’s urban population will double by 2050. Egypt, with its densely populated urban centres, is positioning itself to be a leader in the development of smart cities within North Africa and the Middle East. The full implementation of this strategy could significantly improve daily life for over 110 million Egyptians by reducing city congestion, expanding access to essential services, creating new employment opportunities in digital and urban planning sectors, and bolstering resilience to climate-related challenges.
