San diego: On the sidelines of her participation in the 2025 Esri International User Conference held in San Diego, California, USA, Dr. Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development, held an extensive meeting with Mr. Richard Baden, Director of Local Governments and Smart Cities at Esri Global, to explore ways to support and enhance the capabilities of Egyptian cities in using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology as a fundamental tool in local planning and management. The meeting was attended by Dr. Hisham Elhelbawy, Assistant Minister for National Projects, Ambassador Hossam Elqawish, Assistant Minister for International Cooperation, and several representatives from Esri Global. According to State Information Service Egypt, Dr. Manal Awad confirmed during the meeting that the Ministry of Local Development believes that cities are the main driver of sustainable development, and that empowering local management with accurate data is the first step toward achieving spatial justice and improving the qual ity of life for citizens. The Minister pointed out that the "Atlas of Egyptian Cities" initiative has shown how geographic systems can bring about a qualitative transformation in enhancing the ability of local administrations to understand their developmental reality, respond quickly to climate and demographic changes, and efficiently identify investment and service priorities. Dr. Manal Awad explained that the ministry is currently working to enhance the ability of governorates to use GIS tools to track developmental gaps, distribute available resources fairly, and analyze service efficiency, especially in medium and small cities that require precise and integrated interventions. The Minister also emphasized the importance of establishing interactive digital platforms at the city level to facilitate the exchange of data and experiences between local and international entities, support urban planning, coordinate crisis responses, and promote flexible urban expansion. For his part, Mr. Richard Baden expresse d his appreciation for the significant progress made by the Ministry of Local Development in the field of local digital transformation, affirming that the Atlas of Egyptian Cities serves as an important reference for many local governments on how to use geographic information systems to build data-driven local policies. He also noted that Esri places great importance on supporting medium and small cities in developing countries and is prepared to develop customized toolkits and platforms that align with the realities of Egyptian cities and contribute to accelerating the pace of development and smart urban transformation. Mr. Richard Baden welcomed the launch of dedicated training programmes for local personnel in Egypt, in collaboration with the ministry, to qualify a new generation of planners and local officials capable of using geographic data to support daily decision-making. The Minister of Local Development stressed the importance of deepening the integration between spatial planning tools and resource allocation mechanisms to ensure a more efficient connection between local priorities and public budgets in response to actual needs, calling on Esri to contribute to the development of flexible and integrated tools that support this connection. Dr. Manal Awad expressed her hope to establish executive steps for cooperation in the areas of local planning, urban expansion, and monitoring changes, which would support the development of smart, resilient, and inclusive Egyptian cities, connected to the global governance and sustainable development system. At the end of the meeting, both sides agreed to expand the scope of technical cooperation between the Ministry of Local Development and Esri in the upcoming period through a joint roadmap that includes the development of geographic platforms, urban tracking applications, and capacity building, considering these areas as priorities in Egypt's integrated development plan.