By: Iman Ibrahim
Translation: Muhammad Khalid
Egypt started executing fourth generation cities according to a tight schedule and based on global standards to achieve sustainable urban expansion, following Egypt’s 2030 strategy. The state began by executing 14 new urban communities: the NAC, New Alamein, New Mansoura, East Port Said, Nasser City in west Assiut, West Qena, New Ismailia, New Rafah, New Galala, New Farafra, New Obour, New Toshka, and Sharq El Owainat.
The total area of these communities is 380,000 feddans, representing 50% of the total area of urban communities executed in the last 40 years. Upon the completion of all their phases, the new urban communities are set to accommodate 14 mn citizens and create 6 mn permanent jobs, according to Egypt State Information Service. In this feature, Invest-Gate showcases an overview on recent updates in Egypt’s new cities.
The NAC
The NAC will house 500,000 citizens in its first phase, along with 40,000-50,000 government officers that will be transferred to the new offices. There are plans to increase the number of government officers in NAC to 100,000 after the first three years. The first phase of NAC includes the main buildings of the House of Representatives, the Cabinet, and other ministerial buildings, totaling 34, and are built on an area of 153 feddans.
The first phase also comprises the Green River Park, which stretches over 35 kilometers (km), and an international airport with an area of 16 km.
Upon its completion, NAC will accommodate 6.5 mn people and create two mn jobs. The city is situated on 170,000 feddans and includes a residential district, medical and sports city, an 8-km central park, and the 1,133-feddan government district.
New Alamein
Located in the North Coast, the city’s first phase includes two main sectors with a total area of around 8,000 feddans, comprising coastal, tourism, archaeological, and urban activities. The city will include around 25,000 hotel rooms.
The New Alamein’s total area is 48,130 feddans and will house two mn people. Around EGP 3 bn of the New Urban Communities Authority’s (NUCA) budget was allocated to the project. The city’s first phase comprises a desalination plant with a capacity of 100,000 cubic meters per day and the development of Alexandria-Matrouh Road with EGP 320 mn.
New Mansoura
The city overlooks the Mediterranean Sea and stretches over 15 km. the President Decree No. 378 of 2017, allocates 5,104 feddans, and Decree No. 8 of 2018, allocates 809 feddans. The total area of the city reaches 5,913 feddans.
The Minister of Housing laid the first foundation stone of the project in August. The city is executed in four phases, the first of which is 2,063 feddans. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi launched the city on March 1st, 2018.
East Port Said
The total area of the city is 23,200 feddans, and it accommodates 800,000 people. The immediate phase is underway at an area of 205 feddans. A total of 4,340 social housing units, including utilities and services, are under construction, in addition to a destination plant, with a capacity of 150,000 cubic meters per day.
There is a rural area located south of the city at an area of 50,000 feddans. El-Salam Canal passes through the city. It is planned based on the standards of sustainable development and clean energy to accommodate one mn people to ease pressure on the Port Said Governorate. East Port Said will be linked to a network of roads and the Suez Canal’s tunnels. A metro line is under planning. The city offers 185,000 permanent jobs, the top of which are international hotels, artificial islands, a fashion city, a medical city, and the world’s largest water desalination plant.
Nasser City in west Assiut
The city’s total area is estimated at 6,006 feddans. It is located 14 km from Assiut City and 4 km from Assiut Airport. It is expected to accommodate 345,000 people.
The first phase of the project is under construction at an area of 1,600 feddans. It includes 66 social housing buildings and 110 Sakan Misr buildings, which are totally completed. Utilities and roads of the first phase are underway at an area of 1,600 feddans.
West Qena
The city is located over 8,971.1 feddans; 5 km from South Qena and 45 km from South Nagaa Hammadi. The city is planned to accommodate 550,000 people.
The first phase is under construction on an area of 1,400 feddans, including 136 social housing buildings and 30 Sakan Misr buildings, along with service areas. Utilities and roads for the phase are underway.
New Ismailia
Situated on the east coast of the New Suez Canal with a shoreline of 11 km, the city comprises 6 residential districts at a maximum built-up rate of 20% while the remaining space is dedicated to roads, pathways, parking areas, and green spaces.
The city is planned to be located in an area of 2,828 feddans, including 52,000 housing units with various spaces accommodating 250,000 people. The city will also include subareas for services for each residential district.
To secure water supply to the city, a water filtration plant is built on the eastern side of the Suez Canal, with a capacity of 20,000 cubic meters per day. The first and second phases of the city will be opened, with a total of 32,000 residential units. The third phase is underway with a total of 20,000 units, bringing the city’s total buildings to 52,000.
New Rafah
El-Sisi laid the first stone in the city’s foundations in March 2018. It is planned to be located at 535 feddans, including 10,016 residential units and 400 Bedouin. The city is situated near Al-Wifaq village in North Sinai. The city will accommodate all residents of old Rafah City.
New Rafah includes central and sub- services, shops, nurseries, schools, a sports club, a social club, culture centers, entertainment areas, a fire brigade, youth centers, and an industrial zone.
Galala City and Resort
The Galala project comprises many subprojects, including Galala City, which was built on an area of 17,000 feddans on the plateau of Jabal al-Jalalah. The city includes a tourist resort and a hospital. A public Corniche is under construction away from tourist resorts.
The city includes high-end and medium-end residential buildings for low-income people, as well as a university, 3 sewage treatment plants, and a self-sustaining power station to supply energy to the city and the tourist resort.
Galala’s projects create more than 150,000 direct and indirect job opportunities in all fields. Among the most prominent projects besides the city is the development of the main road, the Galala Cable Car, a coastal resort, and a new industrial zone.
New Obour
The Obour is considered an extension of the urban area in the 10th of Ramadan City and Obour City 1. The new city is located near new regional roads, which easily connect it to districts in Greater Cairo and NAC.
The new city is located on a total area of 58,914.4 feddans. It is expected to accommodate around 2.95 mn people in 2040. It includes 40 residential districts, along with central and local services. The city project is anticipated to create 1.01 mn jobs.
New Toshka
Spanned over 3,000 feddans, the city accommodates 80,000 people and creates 30,000 jobs. It will be integrated with surrounding rural villages in Toshka project. The city includes services, light industries, agricultural manufacturing, and entertainment activities. The first phase is underway with a cost of EGP 500 mn to build 1,000 residential units to accommodate 17,000 people, along with services centers, in 2022.
Sharq El Owainat
The city is located 365 km south of Cairo in Dakhla city. It is situated on 528,000 feddans divided into 22 land pieces each having an area of 24,000 feddans. Only 10,000 feddans will be reclaimed and cultivated, while 220,000 feddans will serve as a safety belt around the underground reservoir and 7,000 feddans will be an experimental farm. Sharq El Owainat city is expected to accommodate 45,000 people.
New Farafra
Launched by President El-Sisi in December 2015, New Farafra is a part of the 1.5 mn Feddan Project. The new city spans over an area of 20,000 feddans. It will include agricultural projects, along with all social, education, and healthcare services.
The city includes three eco-friendly rural villages and 2,000 rural houses each consisting of a 200-sqm ground floor. Key projects in the city include two groundwater and wastewater treatment plants, diesel and solar power plants, a social and village center, and other social services.