An African nation with one of the continent’s largest economies has officially launched a massive mega-project that will see a new desert city created, with a man-made channel running through it.
On Saturday, Egypt unveiled plans for Jirian, a sprawling metropolis in Sheikh Zayed, some 26 miles west of Cairo. It’s part of the country’s huge “New Delta” programme, a large-scale agricultural initiative that aims to reclaim some 2.5 million acres of desert west of the Nile Delta, as per Arab News.
On the project’s official website, planners say it will have a “prime location on the Middle Ring Road, close to key landmarks like Sphinx International Airport and the Grand Egyptian Museum”.
Speaking at the signing ceremony for the “first New Delta real estate project” yesterday, Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said: “This sustainable and environmentally-friendly project will make the most of hitherto worthless desert land,” Belgian outlet Le Soir reports.
It comes as the country faces several critical challenges, including growing water shortages, a power outage crisis, as well as a deepening economic turmoil, Reuters reports.
Mr Madbouly wants the city to help the boost the value of the state’s assets and raise land prices via “non-traditional, innovative ideas,” he said in a statement, as per the news agency.
Developers say a canal fed by the country’s famous Nile river will run through the the city, functioning both as an irrigation source for the vast areas of farmland surrounding it, as well as a centrepiece for the striking cityscape.
The official agreement for the Jirian project was signed by three private developers, Palm Hills, Mountain View and Nations of Sky, with the state represented by Mostakbal Misr for military-affiated agency, Sustainable Development, Reuters reports.
The ambitious development promises to bring 80-storey skyscrapers, lush green spaces, 20,000 residential units, international universities and hospitals, and numerous other amenities.
It will also see the establishment of commercial zones, a free economic zone and a yacht marina, the news agency reports.
Authorities hope the project will create 250,000 jobs and accomodate 2.5 to 3 million families.