Egypt, Germany in talks over administrative capital project

Housing and Utilities Minister Moustafa Madbouli met on Thursday a German delegation for talks on future projects in Egypt, especially the New Administrative Capital project.

The delegation, grouping the German foreign and housing undersecretaries, lawmakers and other senior officials, expressed interest to stand on the real economic and political situation in Egypt at close at a time the country is gearing up for mega national projects.

The delegation said they believed President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has an ambitious plan in the housing and urban planning domains, expressing readiness to help Egypt achieve these goals.

Madbouli said the ministry is now carrying out the one-million-unit project for limited income people and working hard to engage the private sector in this project but within certain regulations.

About the Administrative Capital project, he said the city is located in the middle between the old capital and development projects along the banks of the Suez Canal.

The New Capital is 40km away from Nile river and 60km from Suez Canal.

It will be a green city with high-tech means of transportation and advanced highways linking it to the other cities. It aims at addressing problems of the old capital.

The first stage of the new capital, the minister said, will be built over 10,500 feddans and will include headquarters of ministries, the cabinet seat, a conference center, exhibitions ground and a number of housing units for all brackets.

The government will set up 15,000 units and the private sector will be responsible for the rest.

The new capital will also include a special district for embassies to encourage them to move on and another for business, he added.

The minister said the designs of all ministerial buildings were finalized and the infrastructure works of the project have already begun.

He unveiled that the ministry received many applications from private companies willing to take part in the project and that they are examining them.

The German delegation expressed admiration of the project and said those who will carry it out have a huge responsibility to shoulder.

Source: MENA