Cairo: Governor Ibrahim Saber met on Tuesday Michael Koh, Deputy Executive Director of the Centre for Livable Cities (CLC) in Singapore. The meeting came during the activities of the 12 edition of the World Urban Forum (WUF12) currently held in Cairo. The governor stressed that the forum is an opportunity to exchange urban development expertise among cities globally.

According to State Information Service Egypt, talks covered Cairo’s achievements in addressing informal settlements, a longstanding challenge that the government has effectively tackled. He pointed out to the significant impact of relocating nearly half a million residents to modern, fully furnished housing units in the newly developed communities. These efforts, the governor said, have vastly improved residents’ quality of life.

Saber said that collaboration with civil society organisations is ongoing to enhance cultural awareness for citizens, being relocated to these new communities. The governor reaffirmed Cairo’s commitment to expanding gr
een spaces, citing the recent renovation of Andalus Park, part of the broader government initiative to increase green areas across the capital, Cairo.

Michael Koh hailed Cairo’s great achievements in urban development, especially public transportation systems, including the metro and monorail, ranking Cairo as a prominent city in the Arab world and the Middle East. Koh invited Saber to participate in the 9th Mayors Forum for the Global Cities Network, slated in June 2-4, 2025, and the Global Cities Network Meeting in June 2026.

Koh referred to shared challenges between Cairo and Singapore, particularly in urban housing. He cited Singapore’s approach to informal settlement solutions through comprehensive social housing as a model for mutual exchange.