Deputy Minister Nabil Habashi: Engaging Egyptians abroad and strengthening younger generations’ ties to their homeland remain top priorities

Nabil Habashi, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates, said Egyptians living abroad represent one of the most important pillars of Egypt’s soft power.
He stressed the government’s commitment to maintaining continuous engagement with Egyptian communities overseas and strengthening their connection to their homeland through a broad range of initiatives and programmes.
His remarks came during a meeting with members of the Egyptian community in London, attended by Ashraf Swelam, Ambassador of Egypt to the United Kingdom, on the sidelines of the 20th edition of Nile Property Expo, held in the British capital.
Habashi said that since the migration portfolio was brought under the remit of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, daily and continuous engagement with Egyptians abroad has become one of the ministry’s top priorities.
He explained that a comprehensive action plan has been developed to strengthen direct communication channels with Egyptian communities overseas and to monitor their needs on an ongoing basis.
He added that the ministry has launched several new communication initiatives, including the daily distribution of Egyptian newspapers to Egyptian communities abroad.
The Ministry also issues a daily bulletin featuring the latest news, key developments, and major social and cultural events in Egypt, along with official updates, to provide a comprehensive picture of life in the country and strengthen expatriates’ connection to their homeland.
Habashi noted that direct engagement with Egyptian communities abroad has become a firmly established approach, whether through officials’ overseas visits or regular virtual meetings conducted via Zoom.

Cultural Salon

Habashi also reviewed the Cultural Salon initiative, recently launched by the Ministry, which hosts prominent public figures from various fields to meet with Egyptians abroad.
He said the initiative has already featured several leading figures, including Dr Badr Abdelatty, renowned archaeologist Dr Zahi Hawass, and sports journalist Hassan El-Mestekawy, with a new session scheduled for next July.
As part of the government’s efforts to strengthen ties between Egyptians abroad and their homeland, the Deputy Minister highlighted the success of the Beitak Fe Masr initiative, implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Housing.
He explained that the first phase included the launch of 5,500 fully finished residential units across several cities and governorates, attracting strong demand.

New phase of Mazra’tak Fe Masr

Habashi also discussed the Open Your Account in Egypt initiative, implemented in cooperation with the National Bank of Egypt and Banque Misr, which enables Egyptians abroad to open bank accounts in Egypt without being physically present.
He added that the Ministry is preparing to launch a new initiative to update the banking details of Egyptians abroad, in coordination with the Central Bank of Egypt and all banks.
The initiative will rely on a unified form enabling citizens to update their details through Egyptian embassies, without the need to travel to Egypt.
The Deputy Minister also affirmed that the Ministry intervenes to help resolve property-related issues involving state-owned companies, while disputes involving private-sector real estate developers remain outside its remit.