Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi inaugurated on December 23 a number of development projects in the East Suez Canal development zone, Ahram Online reports.

The President inaugurated two tunnels, the 5,820 meter-long first of which is in northern Ismailia, connecting Egypt’s northwestern city of Salloum to the vital North Sinai Al-Awja road, according to Ahmed Fouda, the deputy head of the Armed Forces’ engineering authority.

The second 3,920 meters-long tunnel in southern Port Said connects Salloum to North Sinai’s Rafah.

The projects were constructed by several Egyptian companies including Petrojet, Orascom and Arab Contractors, Fouda adds.

El-Sisi also inaugurated two floating bridges named after Ahmed El-Mansi and Abanoub Gerges – two army personnel who were killed in Sinai in the line of duty in recent years– in Ismailia and Qantara, respectively.

The Egyptian president also inaugurated the second phase of the fish farm project, at an area of 7,500 acres of saltwater. The number of ponds in the second phase is 4,441, which is the continuation of the first phase that started in December 2016.

Six new investment contracts have been signed worth USD 40 bn during November’s World Youth Forum (WYF) in Sharm El-Sheikh, according to the Head of the Suez Canal Authority Mohab Mamish.

The Housing Ministry has been mandated with implementing an urban development project worth EGP 100 bn in North Sinai within two to three years starting in Bir El-Abd, El-Sisi announced during the inauguration speech.