Egypt collects LE11.2B in reconciliation fees to legalize unlicensed buildings

CAIRO – 9 February 2021: Minister of Local Development Mahmoud Shaarawy stated before the House of Representatives Monday that owners of unlicensed buildings submitted 190,747 million reconciliation requests worth LE14.4 billion.

As for the reconciliation fees collected until present, they amount to LE11.2 billion so as the number of contracts handed to owners so far is 25,543. Moreover, the ministry estimates that 37,616 others will be finalized soon. Nevertheless, 21,411 requests have been denied and the buildings will be demolished.

The reconciliation over buildings constructed on 2.47 million feddans of desert land and occupying 190 million square meters of built-up areas is concluded.

Speaking of encroachments on state-owned agricultural lands between January 25, 2011 and January 31, 2021, the minister declared they affected 90,337 feddans and that squatters have been evicted from 36,552 feddans. The ministry is working on recovering the rest.