Egypt unveils plans for new administrative capital
The new capital east of Cairo is expected to house five million people
Egypt plans to build a new administrative and business capital east of Cairo that will house five million people, a minister announced Friday at a global investor conference.
The proposed new city was presented to potential investors at the three-day conference, which began Friday in the Red Sea resort of Sharm al-Sheikh.
Unveiling an initial plan in front of global leaders and diplomats attending the conference, Housing Minister Mustafa Kamel Madbuli said the new city will be built between Cairo and the canal city of Suez.
He said the proposed 700 square kilometer (270 square mile) city will house up to five million people in 25 residential districts.
“The idea to build the new city originated from our awareness that Cairo’s current population will double in the next 40 years,” Madbuli said in a presentation showcasing the details.
Cairo’s population is expected to grow to 40 million by 2050 from the current 18 million, according to the website of the city.
Parliament, presidential palaces, government ministries and foreign embassies would move to the new metropolis from out of Cairo, the minister said, adding these projects would be executed over the next five to seven years at a cost of $45 billion (42.9 billion euros).
An overall cost for the new city was not revealed, nor were details on how it would all be funded.
Madbuli said the new city will have large green spaces and provide a “better standing of living.”
It will also have "an international airport, a theme park four times bigger than Disneyland in California, 90 square kilometers of solar farms, and an electric train" to link the new city with Cairo, he added.
"The master plan is to create a global city with smart infrastructure for Egypt's future, which will provide a multitude of economic opportunities and offer a distinct quality of life," an online plan of the city said.
President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi hopes investors meeting in Sharm al-Sheikh will help kick-start Egypt's troubled economy.
The conference aims to attract billions of dollars into Egypt's economy, and on Friday Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates pledged to offer $ 12 billion dollars (11.4 billion euros) as investment aid to the country.
-
Gulf states offer $12.5 billion aid to Egypt
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE each offered Egypt $4 billion while Oman pledged $500 million Economy -
Egypt's Sisi appeals for foreign investment
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi appealed for international investment in Egypt on Friday during his address to an international conference ... Economy -
‘Egypt The Future’ conference
Perspective -
Kerry urges firms to invest in Egypt, praises economic reforms
Kerry said more private investment could help Egypt’s economy achieve annual growth rates in double digits Economy -
GE to invest $200 mln in Egypt manufacturing facility
General Electric is investing $200 million in a manufacturing and training facility in Egypt's Suez City Economy -
IFC: Egypt reforms positive but “a lot more work needs to be done”
The head of the International Finance Corporation said on Friday that he was encouraged by Egypt’s economic reforms Economy -
Egypt eyes deals worth $15-$20 billion at investment summit
Cairo hopes the summit will allow it to double foreign investment in this fiscal year to $8 billion Economy -
Egypt banks on investment summit to boost finances
After four years of political turmoil, Egypt is staking its economic revival on an investment summit in Sharm al-Sheikh Economy