Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has firmly rejected circulating rumours on social media claiming that the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has been granted operational or usufruct rights over the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) for ten years in exchange for soft loans provided by the Japanese government.
In an official statement, the ministry described the claims as “completely baseless and devoid of truth.”
The ministry clarified that the two soft loans obtained from the Japanese government come with long grace periods and favorable repayment terms.
These loans are being fully repaid by the Egyptian state according to the agreed-upon schedules, with repayments already underway.
It emphasised that the loans are in no way linked to granting any foreign entity management, operation, or usufruct rights within the museum.
The GEM is an economic entity fully owned by the Egyptian state and falls under the authority of the Minister of Antiquities, who chairs its board of directors.
The museum is solely responsible for its management, operation, archaeological halls, storage facilities, and restoration center.
Visitor services are provided in collaboration with Legacy Management and Development Company.
The ministry urged media outlets and social media users to verify information with official sources before publishing or sharing content to avoid spreading false or misleading reports.
