President Sisi inaugurates Sphinx, New Administrative Capital airports

CAIRO – 29 June 2020: President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi inaugurated on June 29, 2020 Sphinx Airport located on Cairo-Alex Road and the New Administrative Capital airport via video-conference.

Each of those airports spans over 4,000 square meters, and has two terminals as well as dozens of office buildings, Minister of Civil Aviation stated.

A ceremony was held in one of Cairo's state-owned auditoriums while taking all protective measures in order to launch a number of road projects in Misr Al Gadida neighborhood eastern Cairo, Baron Palace after renovation, and the airports.

President Sisi inaugurates Sphinx, New Administrative Capital airports

CAIRO - 29 June 2020: President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi inaugurated on June 29, 2020 Sphinx Airport located on Cairo-Alex Road and the New Administrative Capital airport via video-conference. Each of those airports spans over 4,000 square meters, and has two terminals as well as dozens of office buildings, Minister of Civil Aviation stated.

A number of ministers presented projects accomplished and future plans in their respective sectors. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli delivered the opening speech revealing key figures and extending greetings to the Egyptian people on the 7th anniversary of June 30 Revolution.

Accomplishments and Targets

"In the past 6 years, Egypt accomplished projects worth LE4.5 trillion," Prime Minister Madbouli stated before giving details on certain sectors and growth estimations. The amount was spent on 20,000 projects as clarified by Egyptian Armed Forces Engineering Authority Commander Ihab al-Far who added that a further LE1.1 trillion were spent on 2,800 projects constructed by the Armed Forces.


"We targeted 5.7 percent growth in FY2019/2020 but it will be 4 percent, although growth recorded until February 2020 is 5.9 percent,” Egypt’s prime minister. Madbouli said that international institutions recommended Egypt to focus on the sectors of constructions, ICT, manufacturing, and agriculture in order to achieve growth.

"Egypt is expected to house 30 percent of the ICT sector in the Middle East… LE15 billion are allocated to investments in the ICT sector in FY2020/2021, particularly electronic civil services," the prime minister showcased.

Speaking of agriculture, Madbouli pointed out that Egypt depends on recycled water and desalination in land reclamation.

Tackling roads upgrade, the prime minister stated, "LE300 million will be pumped into the road sector in FY2020/2021… If roads in Cairo have not been developed, vehicles speed would be 4km/h."

Giving hints about improving tourism in the capital, Madbouli revealed, "the next step is developing Khedevian Cairo (downtown)… The development of Greater Cairo’s Corniche extending on 65 kilometers is underway. The first phase will be over by the end of 2020."

Water Resources

"Egypt has a water shortage of 20 billion cubic meters as the resources volume is 60 billion cubic meters while consumption is 80 billion cubic meters… Egypt is the world’s top in amount of recycled water, and will be second in percentage of water recycled when Bahr Baqar project enters service… Bahr Baqar-Mahsama-Sarabium is an integrated system that secures recycled water for irrigation purposes," Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Mohamed Abdel Aty clarified.

The minister stated that $19 billion have been allocated to the development of water resources.

Agriculture

"[Agricultural] development focused on diversified water resources, horizontal expansion of cultivated land, vertical expansion embodied in the introduction of water-efficient species, irrigation modernization, and greenhouse multiplication," Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Al Sayed Al Qoseir revealed.

The minister added that the horizontal expansion of cultivated lands project focuses on Central Sinai, and that projects accomplished in the agricultural sector in the past 6 years are worth LE26 billion.

As Sinai is a top priority in Egypt's 2030 Sustainable Development Vision, the amount of water to be pumped into North and Central Sinai after the completion of Bahr Baqar wastewater recycling project will be 9.6 billion cubic meters per day in order to irrigate 400,000-500,000 feddans, the minister highlighted.

Tourism and Antiquities
Minister of Antiquities and Tourism Khaled al-Anany gave information of the Baron Empin Palace saying, "As Baron Palace was sold by heirs, its contents were sold in an auction by new owners before becoming state-owned… A 3D design was made after acquiring drawings of Baron Palace in order to restore its architecture properly."

The minister disclosed that the Ancient Egyptian Military Vehicles Museum will launch in two months in Boulak.

Regarding the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) whose inauguration was postponed to mid-2021 due to COVID-19 outbreak, the minister said, "An international convoy will be held to move the mummies of 22 Ancient Egyptian kings to the Grand Egyptian Museum." Anany added that vehicles having the shape of ships have been designed to carry the mummies.

Addressing the re-opening of tourist establishments, the minister underlined, "South Sinai, Red Sea, and Luxor have zero COVID-19 infections at present, and this is where international tourism is resuming."

Given that most projects launched on Monday lie in Misr Al Gadida, Anany highlighted that the neighborhood was inaugurated in 1905.

Roads Eastern Cairo

Moral Affairs Department at the Egyptian Armed Forces produced a mini-documentary titled "Civilized Shift" to showcase the road projects executed in Misr Al Gadida to resolve the heavy traffic problems as the old lanes have just 2-3 lanes.

10-12 bridges with 5-6 lanes each – including 3 bridges having a total length of 3 kilometers - were built to solve the heavy traffic problem. Five roads with a total length of 13 kilometers were paved.

Roxi-Ramses Axis consists of 6 roads with a total length of 10 kilometers linking downtown and Misr Al Gadida. The Cairo-Suez Road was accomplished over 2 phases. One is Abou Ghazala-Ring Road Bridge. The other is a bridge between the Ring Road and Regional Ring Road extending on 38 kilometers.

Two bridges were built near Rehab and Madinaty, and 2 others were constructed near Gardenia area.