President Sisi inaugurates mega development projects in Egypt's South Valley

CAIRO – 25 May 2024: Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Saturday inaugurated a series of major development projects in the South Valley region, including mega water lift stations in Upper Egypt’s Toshka and expansive road networks.

The initiatives aim to transform the area by enhancing infrastructure, expanding road networks, and utilizing water resources efficiently.

One of the highlights of the documentary presented during the inauguration ceremony was the remarkable efforts undertaken to overcome obstacles during the implementation of the Toshka project.

These efforts included the demolition of a 7-kilometer-long granite wall using a staggering 8,000 tons of explosives.

The state's pursuit of reclaiming and cultivating land in the South Valley has resulted in the successful reclamation of 430,000 feddans, with 140,000 feddans specifically dedicated to the Toshka project, added the documentary.

The Armed Forces' Engineering Authority played a crucial role in developing the necessary infrastructure, including leveling challenging terrains.

The initiatives also included the establishment of two large-scale water lift plants with a combined capacity of 11.3 cubic meters, along with 132 secondary water stations, to support the agricultural endeavors.

Studies are already underway for the third phase of the Toshka project, which aims to reclaim an additional 40,000-60,000 feddans, with the goal of being ready for the upcoming 2025 agricultural season.

The expansion of the road network is another notable achievement, with over 3,000 kilometers of roads constructed in Upper Egypt alone.

Road networks inaugurated today include major axes such as the 655-km long Sharq Al-Owainat-Dakhla Farafra axis, the 180-km long Hisham Arafat axis connecting Upper Egypt with Cairo, and several expansive road connections over the Nile.

Newly inaugurated roads also include the 19-km Major General Samir Farag axis, the 28-km Mohamed Sayed Tantawi axis, the 3.7-km Dr. Gamal Hemdan axis, and the 41-km Mohamed Seddik Menshawi axis.

Sisi has invited investors to actively participate in the ongoing agricultural projects throughout Egypt.

Emphasizing the importance of water conservation, he stressed the need to maximize the utilization of available water resources to ensure no drop is wasted.

Thanks to such projects across Egypt, the nation has expanded the cultivation of wheat in reclaimed areas by over 700,000 feddans, out of a total of 3.25 million feddans, said Minister of Agriculture El-Sayed El-Quseir during the inauguration.

Sisi also highlighted the importance of media coverage and urged organizing trips for media professionals and university students to witness the remarkable progress being made on the ground in the Toshka project.

The Toshka project, touted as the largest of its kind in the Middle East, seeks to help achieve self-sufficiency in wheat production, a staple in the Egyptian diet.

Initially launched in 1997 and revived by President Sisi in 2020, the project aims to expand agricultural production, increase habitable land, and create new job opportunities.

With these significant developments and ongoing efforts, Egypt is working towards decreasing its wheat imports and increase agricultural lands by hundreds of thousands of feddans.

These efforts are part of the nation’s commitment to achieving food security and economic growth.

Electricity and bread

During the ceremony, Sisi also spoke about huge investments being made to develop the nation’s infrastructure and continue providing basic services to citizens, including electricity.

 

Sisi explained the rationale behind the current power rationing program, saying it aims at preventing citizens from bearing the burden of exorbitant electricity consumption bills.

"To ensure uninterrupted electricity supply around the clock, individuals would need to pay double or triple the [current] electricity price," Sisi noted.

The president also spoke about the state's efforts to maintain subsidies for bread loaves.

The government currently provides subsidies worth around LE 130 billion annually to supply bread to eligible citizens at a cost of 5 piasters, while the actual cost to the state is 125 piasters, Sisi stressed.