Sisi urges using modern technology to spot illegal construction

CAIRO – 14 June 2020: Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Sunday urged the government to use modern technology, such as satellite images, to spot illegal construction, the Egyptian Presidency said, almost a month after he called on the Interior Ministry to arrest those responsible for illegal construction.

In a meeting attended by Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli and chief of the Armed Forces’ Engineering Authority Ehab Al-Faar, Sisi ordered establishing an accurate and updated database in this regard, with the aim of moving from theoretical planning to actual implementation, Presidential Spokesman Bassam Radi said in a statement.

Sisi has reviewed the mechanism of issuing construction permits and suggestions to deal with illegal construction.

The president also reviewed a number of national projects implemented by the Armed Forces’ Engineering Authority, including road projects in the capital Cairo.

In another meeting with Electricity Minister Mohamed Shaker and Water Resources Minister Mohamed Abdel Aaty, Sisi urged boosting state’s efforts in expanding land reclamation as a strategic attitude and setting a timeline in this regard. He also urged providing electricity and water treatment services to support this plan.



In April, Sisi directed the government to increase the arable area in Sinai, announced Madbouli in a statement.

With the completion of building Egypt’s largest wastewater treatment plant of Bahr al-Baqar and the completion of the Mahsamh Wastewater Treatment plant in Ismailia, the government will start reclaiming new land in Sinai, particularly in Central Sinai, the prime minister added.

Madbouli asked the Ministry of Agriculture to prepare a detailed study on the arable lands in the area, according to the statement.

On April 9, 2020, Sisi directed the government to expand the reclamation of arable lands nationwide to grow strategic crops, said the Presidency.

In mitigation, Egypt is building the sewage water treatment plant to face water shortage that could affect around 0.5 million people in Sinai. The plant, which will treat sewage and agricultural wastewater of the longest drain (Bahr al-Baqar 1 drain), located in the east of Suez Canal. It will produce 5 million cubic meters per day to cultivate 250,000 feddans.