Egypt faces overpopulation, plans to build 45 new cities.

CAIRO - 8 November 2021: The continuous increase in population is one of the most significant challenges facing Egypt, as it is reflected on the development plans of the various sectors, most importantly the housing sector.

In case population continues to grow at the same pace, Egypt will have a population of more than 190 million citizens in 2052, according to official population estimates issued by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS).

To keep pace with the population increase, the Egyptian government adopts a strategic plan in which all ministries cooperate.

Undersecretary of the Ministry of Housing for National Projects Khaled Abbas confirmed during his participation in the activities of the Real Estate Development conference held in Cairo that the plan includes the establishment of 45 new cities.

Abbas explained that Egypt needs about 45 new cities to accommodate the expected population increase, especially since the cities that had previously been created reached their maximum capacity.

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During his speech at the conference, the Egyptian official revealed details about a number of those cities, including the new city of Suez, which is built on an area of about 40,000 acres; the city of Ras Al-Hikma, which lies on the Mediterranean coast; and the new city of El-Alamein.

Egypt is witnessing a remarkable progress in urban development through the construction of new cities and bridges; eliminating slums; and expanding the housing projects dedicated to the low and middle-income citizens.

Commenting on the Egyptian state’s strategy in this field, Head of the Capital Center for Economic Studies Khaled Al-Shafei said, “The Egyptian state, in light of the economic reform plan, faced several initial challenges, including the economic problems related to subsidies and how to direct them to those who deserve, and the problematic fact that Egyptians mainly reside on only 6 percent of Egypt's total area.”

Al-Shafei stressed that the state is working to connect modern cities across the country, reviewing the axes linking the cities of the delta, and the projects that took place in Sinai, with a value of LE 600 billion, with the aim of creating a link between Sinai and the various governorates, while further developing it.

The previous period witnessed the establishment of 14 new cities, which indicates that Egypt is about to raise its inhabited area to 12 percent from about 7 percent before the launch of the various development and national projects, according to the Ministry of Housing.

Regarding the integrated vision of these cities, Al-Shafei explained that the goal is not only to construct new cities, but also to link them to the main axes, and equip them with facilities, to allow the citizens, through the various initiatives, to easily live and own property in those cities.

"I believe that the current projects are proceeding within the framework of an integrated vision, which takes into account the achievement of all the goals of the sustainable development. (It clearly aims) to build new cities capable of accommodating the expected population increase until 2052," the economist concluded.