The Institut Français d’Égypte has recently organised in Cairo an Egyptian-French dialogue: “Making the sustainable city”. The event, which included official and non-official figures in the architecture and urban planning fields, discussed the possible role of French and Egyptian companies in implementing Egypt’s plan of urban sustainable development. The forum aimed at opening channels of dialogue between the private sector and governmental bodies on sustainable urban planning in Egypt.
The event was organised by the French embassy’s economic department, Al-Ahram Hebdo and the French Chamber of Commerce.
The Institute also held a roundtable event in which two books were launched: the first on Cairo Housing…the non-official answer, the printing of which was sponsored by the Swiss cultural organisation in Egypt, ProHelvetia; and a review of randomly built areas in Egypt, a study by the French development agency. A signing ceremony followed the discussions.
Some 60 per cent of Cairo’s 20 million inhabitants live in under-developed randomly built areas which reflect an urban expansion of dramatic proportions, one that invaded direly-needed agricultural land. Cairo is the largest city in Africa, and the seventh-largest urban centre in the world.
Watani International
10 December 2017