Story from the Field #9 — Built on Trust: The UAE's Long-Term Partnership with Egypt

In Sheikh Zayed City, on the outskirts of Cairo, a long-standing partnership is reflected in everyday life. More than 330,000 people now live in a city built through UAE support — where hospitals receive patients, schools are filled with students, and infrastructure sustains a growing population. What began as a single project has evolved into a functioning city, home to hundreds of thousands of residents.

It is one part of a relationship that stretches back more than five decades.

The ties between the UAE and Egypt were established early, even before the UAE’s formation in 1971. Egypt was among the first nations to recognise the Union, and the relationship was shaped by close coordination between the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Egyptian leadership. Over time, that connection translated into sustained support, particularly during periods of reconstruction and economic need.

Sheikh Zayed City stands as one of the earliest large-scale expressions of this approach. Established in 1995 and supported through an USD 200 million grant from the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), the project brought together housing, infrastructure, healthcare, and education within a single, integrated plan. Today, the city includes more than 87,900 housing units and serves a population of approximately 330,000 people, with capacity for further growth.

This model — combining sectors rather than addressing them in isolation — continued to expand.

In 2013, a comprehensive UAE–Egypt development programme was launched, spanning education, healthcare, housing, and infrastructure. Across 18 governorates, 100 fully equipped schools were constructed, serving around 67,000 students. At the same time, 78 health clinics were established across rural and underserved areas, providing care to approximately 780,000 people. More than 50,000 housing units were delivered for low-income families, alongside supporting infrastructure including bridges, public transport, and wheat storage facilities.

In total, the programme reached around 8 million people and contributed to the creation of approximately 900,000 jobs.

Alongside these large-scale efforts, smaller, community-focused projects added a more immediate human dimension. In Cairo, the Shifa Hospital serves thousands of residents each year, while a Coptic Orthodox school provides education to more than 560 students. A heritage and arts centre and the refurbishment of an orphanage further reflect a broader understanding of development — one that includes cultural and social life, not only infrastructure.

Reflecting on these efforts, Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St Mark, noted:

“The efforts of the UAE reflect the history of honour and respect shown by the sons of the late Sheikh Zayed, who loved Egypt and its people. The UAE projects in Egypt focus on social and economic returns for the Egyptian citizen, and it is evident that these projects are not just promises, as we are quickly seeing them turn into reality today.”

The scale of this partnership has continued in recent years. Between 2020 and 2024 alone, the UAE provided over USD 218 million in humanitarian and development assistance to Egypt, building on decades of engagement. But its significance is not only measured in figures. It can be seen in how these projects continue to operate, in schools that remain full, clinics that continue to serve, and neighbourhoods that have grown around them.

In places like Sheikh Zayed City, the results are not defined by a single moment of delivery, but by what they represent. The UAE’s relationship with Egypt has long extended beyond development assistance, rooted in shared history, regional ties, and a consistent alignment of priorities. Over time, this has taken form through projects that support daily life, but also through a broader commitment to stability, growth, and long-term cooperation. It is a partnership that has been sustained not only through investment, but through trust — built gradually, and carried forward across generations.