Sisi: Enhanced action to accomplish vast land cultivation project in north, central Sinai

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi called for enhanced action to reclaim and cultivate 270,000 feddans in central and north Sinai, highlighting the strategic character of this project within the framework of the National Scheme for Central and North Sinai Development.

The president’s remarks came during his meeting on Monday with senior aides to follow up on the implementation of the project for the reclamation and cultivation of lands in central and north Sinai and to appraise the progress of works to accomplish the nationwide network of axial and connecting roads, Presidency Spokesman Ambassador Bassam Radi said.

Attending the meeting were the Presidential Advisor for Urban Planning Major-General Amir Sayed Ahmed, Chairman of the National Company for the Construction, Development and Management of Roads Major-General Magdy Anwar, Head of the Armed Forces Engineering Authority Ihab el-Far, and a number of senior government officials.

At the outset of the meeting, the president was briefed on the latest scene of works to reclaim and cultivate 270,000 feddans in central and north Sinai. The briefing contained a review of the crops of choice for cultivation in these areas in accordance with the findings of relevant climatic and agricultural studies, Spokesman Radi said.

Also contained in the briefing were the executive steps to make available and transfer the water needed for cultivating the target area, in addition to the progress of works to pave and construct roads in the area of the project.

Following that briefing, President Sisi stressed the key importance of this project, especially given its anticipated contribution to the realisation of comprehensive development in the entire peninsula and its potential to generate job opportunities.

In this context, President Sisi called for sustained coordination and integration between various state sectors, including the academia and scientific bodies, to enhance the implementation of this strategic project as part of the National Scheme for Central and North Sinai Development.

Discussion in the meeting then turned to the progress of works to implement a number of national construction projects, especially the road network and land transport axes nationwide.

In this regard, special reference was made to the development of the Upper Egypt network of roads, with President Sisi giving directives to senior officials to consolidate efforts to finalise these new and important roads in order to facilitate traffic and serve the developmental projects and new urban communities, Spokesman Radi said.

Participants at the meeting also presented the progress of works on upgrading roads and axes east of Cairo as well as efforts to utilise the lands on both sides of the Shinzo Abe axis. In this connection, the president called for overall development of the area and also gave directives for the establishment of a modern and integrated complex of workshops and to provide the complex with all the needful services.

Also reviewed in the meeting was the executive position of the ongoing construction works for a number of installations and utilities in the New Administrative Capital, especially including the Islamic Cultural Centre of Egypt.