Egypt's Cabinet underlines major road projects accomplished in Sinai since 2014

CAIRO – 21 December 2021: The Cabinet's Media Center published Tuesday an infograph on the developmental works – worth LE650 billion ($40.6 billion) - accomplished in Sinai since 2014.

The size of expenditure on Sinai development is expected to record a 415-percent growth - over eight years - by mid-2022 as the amount planned to get disbursed in FY2021/2022 is LE10.3 billion (around $644 million).

The infograph highlighted the major road projects executed, as they stretch over 2,400 kilometers. The most important of which are the introduction of Sharm ElSheikh/Ahmed Hamdy Tunnel (342 kilometers), and the development of Taba/Nueiba Road (50 kilometers) and the first and second sections of Dahab/Neuiba Road (50 kilometers).

The projects that are underway are the paving of Wadi Seal/Saint Catherine (65 kilometers), and the upgrade of the third section of Dahab/Neuiba Road (27 kilometers). The progress rate is 93 percent in the former, and 61 percent in the latter.

Yet, the flagship project has been extending four tunnels beneath the Suez Canal to connect Sinai with the mainland. That is in addition to five floating bridges, and Ahmed Hamdy Tunnel II.

Moreover, six land ports on the peninsula were rehabilitated along the two in Taba and Rafah.

Governor of South Sinai Khaled Fouda stated Wednesday that the total area of cultivated land in the desert governorate has reached 31,000 feddans

The governor pointed out that to boost agriculture in South Sinai, 14 Bedouin residential areas – spanning over 760,000 feddans - have been introduced at a cost of LE129 million. That surface area consists of 265,000 feddans cultivated with vegetables and fruits, while the rest comprises 120 greenhouses, and six fisheries, which rely on underground water, and produce 50 tons per annum each.

Fouda added that the governorate's towns of Ras Sidr, Tor, and Saint Catherine alone have a total of seven Bedouin residential areas stretching over 5,510 feddans. Also, in the past few years, 265 wells were dug in the governorate's valleys.

The governor added that the total number of greenhouses in South Sinai is 925, and that seeds and seedlings are made available to farmers free of charge within the budget allocated by the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development.

Fouda revealed that for the first time, seeds of sugar beet have been produced in the natural conditions of Saint Catherine. That is in addition to introducing the governorate's first agricultural cooperative association, which is headquartered in Tor.

Bahr Al Baqar Wastewater Treatment Plant – whose production is allocated to the reclamation and irrigation of lands in Sinai - was inaugurated in September.

The cost of the plant is LE20 billion, and its daily capacity is 5.6 million cubic meters to be used in the reclamation of 400 feddans (one feddan equals 4,500 square meters) in Sinai.

Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Ezz El Din Abou Steit said during the event that Mahsama and Bahr Al Baqar wastewater treatment plants serve the cultivation of 600,000 feddans in North and Middle Sinai. Of those, more than 400,000 have already been reclaimed through Mahsama.

"Adding other cultivated lands located dispersedly in the peninsula, Sinai is estimated to house 675,000 feddans of agricultural lands," the minister underscored.

President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi commented saying, “the reclamation of 500,000 feddans in Sinai has cost LE150-160 billion acquired through loans…That’s why it’s crucial to maintain existing” canals and Nile mainstream.

Additional reporting by Noha El Tawil