CAIRO - 25 February 2024: The Egyptian government has developed an executive plan for the development of its Northwest Coastal region, spanning 500 kilometers from El- Alamein to Saloum, with a desert hinterland extending over 280 kilometers.
Covering an area of 160,000 square kilometers, the plan aims to establish extensive urban, agricultural, industrial, and touristic communities. This initiative seeks to maximize the vast potential of the new cities in this region, both in terms of investment and tourism, meeting citizens' needs, and enhancing the quality of services provided to them.
The Northwest Coastal Region
According to a government report, the Northwest Coastal region, with its various resources, is Egypt’s hope for absorbing the population increase over the next 40 years, estimated at about 34 million people. In addition, the projects to be implemented in the plan will generate 11 million job opportunities until the year 2052.
Achieving integrated urban development
The proposed development idea for the Northwest Coastal region project is based on establishing many new sustainable and smart fourth-generation cities to attract millions of residents and achieve integrated urban development for the Northwest Coast.
This region is deemed one of the most capable of absorbing population growth by creating distinct economic activities and providing job opportunities for a large number of young people in the coming decades.
The strategic objectives for the Northwest Coastal Development plan in Egypt include:
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Achieving a robust annual economic growth rate of at least 12 percent.
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Settling a population of no less than 5 million people.
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Providing approximately 10 million job opportunities.
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Integrating the region into the national and global economy by increasing its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from less than 5 percent to 7 percent.
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Improving social conditions and enhancing the living standards of local communities, aiming for a Human Development Index not less than 77 percent.
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Developing infrastructure networks and strengthening exchange relations with surrounding regions.
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Establishing numerous sustainable and smart fourth-generation cities to attract millions of residents, fostering integrated urban development for the northwest coast. This region is identified as one of the most capable of accommodating population growth through the creation of distinctive economic activities, providing employment opportunities for a significant number of young people in the coming decades.
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Optimally utilizing all essential resources in the area, including exploiting the southern areas of the coastal city from El Alamein to Salloum for land reclamation, relying on rainwater and groundwater.
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Developing existing coastal cities as major development centers, establishing international tourism hubs. Additionally, exploiting the agricultural reclamation hinterland to create new urban clusters based on tourism and residential activities, agricultural industrialization, and mining activities.
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Establishing new environmental clusters to serve safari tourism activities, exploring the possibility of reclaiming millions of acres for desalinating seawater and treating agricultural wastewater for the cultivation of biofuel plants and fodder. This plan also includes the exploitation of the Qattara Depression for integrated development.
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