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The 10th edition of the ‘Builders of Egypt’ Forum 2025 Forum kicked off at the Nile Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Cairo on 22 June 2025, coinciding with preparations for an international event to be held this year in New Alamein City to discuss sustainable urban expansion strategies for coastal cities, with the participation of high-level international delegations. This year’s forum events contributed to emphasizing the message of security, stability and development that the Egyptian state has sought to achieve over the past decades and translated into sustainable development strategies and major national projects.

Despite the escalation of global events and the impact of tensions at the regional and global levels, this year’s forum emphasized Egypt’s readiness to welcome all investments amid a huge and unprecedented development boom. Under the leadership of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the country is witnessing huge developments on all developmental levels that reflect the features of the new republic. These include the development boom that Egypt is implementing as part of its national strategy for the development of the north-western coast, and in particular the promotion of the new city of El Alamein as a global destination for tourism and investment.

Lieutenant General Kamel El-Wazir, Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Transport and Industry, and Engineer Sherif El-Sherbiny, Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities, inaugurated the tenth edition of the ‘Builders of Egypt’ forum, which was held under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly and organized by the Ministry of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities, and sponsored by the African Federation of Construction Contractors’ Associations headed by Engineer Hassan Abdel Aziz, President of the Federation, and Excelent, a subsidiary of the United Media Services Company, to review global best practices in the development of coastal cities and raise their efficiency and sustainability by reviewing pioneering experiences in the construction, operation and management of these cities in line with global sustainability standards, and in a way that maximizes their geographical nature ,tourism and economic potential.

The tenth session was attended by prominent ambassadors accredited to Egypt and heads of federations and business organization’s involved in the construction, investment and trade sectors in African and Arab countries, as well as the United Nations Human Settlements the programme  (UN-HABITAT), who participated as speakers in the forum’s sessions to present a roadmap for sustainable development and a new project agenda that offers investment opportunities in the Arab and African regions for the Egyptian construction, building and real estate development sectors and all industries related to the sector. The event also reflected the importance of holding direct meetings between Egyptian and regional leaders to discuss development pathways for construction and building companies in Arab and African markets, by reviewing development strategies in these countries, major project plans, and opportunities for Egyptian entities to participate in them, in light of the global changes imposed by the current economic conditions. The event also presented the vision of government agencies and stakeholders on completing comprehensive and sustainable development programmes in their countries and the measures planned to support various important industries, primarily construction, reconstruction and related industries. It also showcased the development of construction companies in terms of technical and administrative structure and the introduction of new implementation mechanisms and methods.

Outcome and recommendations of the tenth session of the ‘Builders of Egypt’ forum

Emphasizing the message of security, stability, and development that the Egyptian state has aimed to achieve and reflect in sustainable development strategies.

As part of Egypt’s ongoing commitment to strengthening cooperation with regional organizations, H.E. Ambassador Abu Bakr Hefny, Deputy Egyptian Foreign Minister for African Affairs met on 16 July with Eng. Hassan Abdel Aziz, President of the African Federation for Construction Contractors’ Associations (AFCCA), and Ambassador Hatem Tageldin, Secretary General of the Federation.

The meeting focused on enhancing cooperation between Egypt and AFCCA, particularly in the fields of infrastructure development and construction across the African continent. Discussions highlighted the potential for leveraging Egypt’s extensive expertise in construction, engineering, and building to support capacity-building initiatives in partner African countries.

Both parties explored practical mechanisms to promote collaboration between Egyptian and African real estate developers and construction contractors. These alliances would enable greater competitiveness in regional infrastructure tenders and foster joint ventures capable of addressing the continent’s growing infrastructure needs.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed Egypt’s unwavering support for AFCCA and acknowledged the Federation’s vital role in advancing sustainable development across Africa. The Ministry also emphasized AFCCA’s contributions to disseminating tender information, providing technical training, and fostering professional communication and networking among its member states.

As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen African cooperation and foster cross-border investment, the African Federation for Construction Contractors’ Associations (AFCAA) recieved H.E. Dr. Kemoko Diakité, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Senegal, at its headquarters in Cairo. The visit focused on exploring opportunities for cooperation and advancing investment partnerships in the fields of construction and infrastructure between Egypt and Senegal.

Eng. Hassan Abdel Aziz, President of AFCAA, was joined by Eng. Mohamed Sami Saad, Chairman of the Egyptian Federation for Construction and Building Contractors; Amb. Hatem Tageldin, Secretary-General of AFCAA; Eng. Ahmed Mostafa, Technical Affairs Advisor to the Federation; and Ms. Hadeer Hesham Ghanem, Commercial Affairs Advisor.

“Invest in Senegal” Forum Announced – Open Call for Participation

During the meeting, Ambassador Diakité announced that APIX, Senegal’s investment promotion agency, will organize the “Invest in Senegal” Forum (FIL) in Dakar on October 7–8, 2025. He extended an invitation to AFCAA to coordinate and encourage Egyptian companies to participate in this major economic event, emphasizing the wealth of investment opportunities across various infrastructure and construction sectors.

Further details are available on the official forum website:
www.fiisenegal.sn

Deepening Ties and Expanding AFCAA’s Role

Eng. Hassan Abdel Aziz welcomed the Senegalese initiative, stressing the importance of reinforcing cooperation among African nations. He reaffirmed the Federation’s readiness to provide full technical and logistical support, seeking to participate in project execution within reputable construction firms.

He also emphasized the need to develop training and capacity-building programs for African labor in the construction sector and requested the Senegalese side to submit a list of proposed projects and the required construction materials to encourage active participation by relevant companies

Technical Discussions to Promote Transparent Partnerships

In a key technical segment, Eng. Mohamed Sami Saad elaborated on the distinctions between project developers responsible for planning and attracting investments and construction contractors tasked with execution under procurement entities. His clarification was appreciated by the Senegalese delegation as a vital step towards building transparent and efficient partnerships.

Senegal: A Gateway for Investment in West Africa

Ambassador Diakité presented an overview of Senegal’s national development goals, highlighting its comprehensive infrastructure strategy launched in 2014 through the Autonomous Road Maintenance Fund (FERA). This initiative boosted the percentage of high-quality roads from 54% to 84% in just seven years.

Key completed and ongoing projects include:

• Marsassoum, Foundiougne, and Philippe Maguilen Senghor bridges
• Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project
• VDN Road expansion
• Mbour–Fatick–Kaolack highway
• Blaise Diagne International Airport (AIBD)
• Modern telecommunications and digital infrastructure networks

AFCAA’s Support for Regional Cooperation

Amb. Hatem Tageldin, Secretary-General of AFCAA, praised Senegal’s development vision and reaffirmed the importance of joint African economic initiatives. He described Senegal as one of the major strategic hub in West Africa and a vital partner for promoting regional integration and sustainable development across the continent.:

Diamniadio: A Glimpse into West Africa’s Emerging Tech Hub
The meeting concluded with Ambassador Diakité highlighting Diamniadio Smart City, a key development featuring Senegal’s national digital technology complex and government data center. He reiterated Senegal’s ambition to establish itself as a regional powerhouse in innovation and technological advancement.

expressing strong support for deeper collaboration with AFCAA to advance sustainable economic development across Africa.