Urban Development
New Cities
The Housing Ministry is monitoring the construction of 9,000 green housing units in the New Administrative Capital’s Garden City district. This project is part of the 4th generation new cities program, sustainable green and smart cities that are part of the megaprojects of the “New Republic”. A ministry official presented Egypt’s sustainable urbanization efforts at COP28 in Dubai, where Egyptian real estate companies presented their projects.
In the residential districts R7 and R8, real estate developers received permission to raise buildings by an extra story after waiting 2 years to start work. Inflation considerably increased construction costs, resulting in losses for real estate companies (see the November 2023 Press Review).
President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi ordered that all major national projects, including new cities, be completed on schedule.
Housing
The government reaffirmed its commitment to fighting irregular neighborhoods.
Historic Cairo
Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly monitors progress on the Old Cairo Fustat Gardens (see the June 2021 Press Review).
Development of Sinai
After North Sinai (see the November 2023 Press Review), Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly is preparing to launch development projects for South Sinai worth EGP 4.5 billion.
Power cuts
Power cuts were suspended during the presidential elections (December 10-12) before resuming for one to two hours per day. The rationing plan should continue until at least March 2024 and an interministerial committee will be set up to manage the crisis. Several options are considered: closing stores and cafés at midnight, organizing sporting events during the day, and a day of teleworking for civil servants.
Transportation
Metro
Cooperation is underway with Japan to train engineers working on Cairo’s fourth metro line. The first phase will link Six October to Fustat. Eventually, the line will extend to the New Administrative Capital. Feasibility studies for phases 2 and 3 are scheduled to begin in April 2024. The Transport Ministry is also seeking a new loan of $900 million to extend the first line to Shibin el-Qanater.
Road Development
The Transport Minister inspected road projects in the Kafr el-Sheikh and Daqahliyya governorates. In Cairo, President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi is overseeing projects to release the pressure on the Suez route. He took the opportunity to reiterate his determination to “change the face of Greater Cairo”.
The Cairo governor called for streets surrounding churches to be better protected by systematically lighting them, closing them to traffic, and clearing them of abandoned vehicles.
Others
The Transport Ministry launches an awareness campaign to encourage citizens to stop crossing railroad tracks.
Cooperation is underway between the Transport and Communications Ministries to turn a number of railway stations into post offices. A first example was inaugurated in Kafr el-Sheikh this month.
Naguib Sawiris announces a $150 million plan to replace tuk-tuks with electric vehicles. Egypt Independent details other investments by the Sawiris company.
Tourism
The sun aligned with the columns of the Karnak temple in Luxor on December 21.
Egypt will host the 2027 African Games, in which African countries will compete for qualification in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Environment
Waste management
The Environment Minister announced spending EGP 7 billion on waste treatment infrastructure, including medical waste. In this context, the Ministry launched an international call for tenders to set up recycling plants in Motobas, Kafr el-Sheikh, and in Gharbiyya.
Others
Egypt will host the 2025 COP24 on marine environment protection.
Florian Bonnefoi
