Written by: Badr Ahmed

Engineer Khaled Abbas, Chairman of the Administrative Capital for Urban Development Company, announced that the company has signed cooperation agreements with four African countries to fully transfer the experience of the new administrative capital in Egypt, within the framework of expanding Egyptian-African cooperation in the fields of urban planning and management of new cities.

Abbas explained, during a telephone interview with the program “On My Responsibility” broadcast on Sada El Balad channel, that there are direct instructions from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to support African countries, whether through providing technical support or transferring expertise in the fields of urban development and major national projects.

Egyptian-African agreements to transfer the model of the new administrative capital

He pointed out that some African countries have already requested to transfer the entire Egyptian experience, including the establishment of a company similar to the Administrative Capital Company in those countries, which would manage the project, while the Egyptian company would prepare the general plan and provide technical supervision for implementation in a number of other cases.

The company president revealed that one of the partner countries had sent two proposed sites for the establishment of a new capital, and had asked the Egyptian side to provide technical advice to choose the most suitable site for implementing the project, in accordance with planning and economic standards.

He added that negotiations are currently underway with two additional African countries, and final agreements are expected to be signed with them before mid-June, with the projects to be implemented by Egyptian companies specializing in construction and urban development.

Abbas stressed that all participating countries face major economic challenges, but the Egyptian experience has proven the possibility of implementing major projects without placing direct financial burdens on state budgets, and in relatively short time periods, which enhances the attractiveness of the Egyptian model in developing new cities.

He pointed out that the success of the new administrative capital in Egypt came despite the global economic challenges during the past years, including the Corona pandemic and geopolitical crises, but the project continued in parallel with the implementation of other major national projects within the country.

He explained that the directives of the political leadership since the beginning of the project were based on not burdening the general budget with the costs of implementing the capital, noting that the philosophy of the project is based on creating added value for the lands and offering them for investment to real estate developers.

He pointed out that the number of development companies currently operating in the New Administrative Capital exceeds 450 companies, operating with varying sizes and investments, including small, medium and large companies, which reflects the growing size of economic activity within the project.

He concluded by saying that the Egyptian experience has become a model to be emulated in a number of African countries, with expectations of expanding cooperation in the coming period in the field of smart cities and sustainable urban development.