In the south of Egypt: Future Sprouts out the Depth of History

Current development plans in Egypt are typically balanced and comprehensive. These features cover varios sectors and production fields as well as other aspects of socio-economic, human, cultural development.

In this context, the national project of developing southern Egypt aims at balanced distribution of investments and development efforts and returns among all the governorates, ensuring that southern Egypt governorates will obtain a fair share of this comprehensive development.

Mubarak's well: the first developments in Toshka
Up to the year 2017, total investments allocated for this project are estimated at LE 304.9 billion, of which 20 -% 25% will be contributed by the government and the rest by the private sector. These investments cover various aspects of development; urban, agricultural and industrial in addition to a strong , highly efficient infrastructure to serve such activities.

In the agricultural field, the main activity of the inhabitants of these governorates, about 77,000 feddans are being reclaimed, distributed among south Egypt governorates and the New Valley.

Besides, Esna and Naga' Hammadi barrages have been completed and several roads, irrigation, drainage and other services networks revamped.

In the field of industry, 15 industrial estates were established in south Egypt governorates. This is actually a significant qualitative leap for economic activity in this part of Egypt which can turn it into population- attracting rather than population-repulsing areas.

The decisive factor for the prospects of this mega development project mainly lies in south Egypt governorates themselves, with their success factors, investment opportunities as well as rich agricultural, industrial, human and archeological resources.

Here is a brief summary of features of these governorates:

Sohag: a Precions Pearl of Upper Egypt

Sohag Governorate is a 125 km-iong, 15.5-km- wide strip along the Nile banks with a total area of about 6546 km2.

It is bounded by Asiut Governorate to the north, Qena to the south, by the Red Sea to the east and the New Valley to the west. Sohag is centrally located between Cairo and Aswan; 467 km from the former, and 418 km from the latter. It is inhabited by about 3,2 million people, including 70,000 Pre-university students and 25,000 university students.

Sohag has a cultivated area of 300,000 feddans, accounting for 4% of Egypt's total cultivated area. The governorate compriseses 11 provincial percent (Mar-kazs), 3 districts, 51 local government units, 268 village and 1253 sub-villages or hamlets.

Sohag is linked to all parts of the country with an efficient road and railway transportation network, in addition to Luxor airport, which is only 226 km far from Sohag.

Connecting roads include the Cairo-Aswan agricultural road west of Sohag and the Naga' Hammacti- Cairo desert road east of the Nile.

Four Industrial Estates:

Within the framework of sustained development efforts, four industrial estates were established to exploit local resources, namely, mines, stone quarries, agricultural crops and man power.

The first of these; alKawthar estate, established in 1993, now houses more than 140 factories. It is divided into three phases of which the first covers an area of 75 feddans where factories are already operating. The second covers an area of 130 feddans where factories are being installed. The third one covers an area of 230 feddans, where infrastructure works are still underway.

In addition, there is a small-industry complex project comprising 720 small production units. The other three industrial estates are located at Tahta (911 feddans), al-Ahayou Sharq (250 feddans) and west Gerga (1086 feddans).

The state offers considerable facilities to these projects, including free land plots and a tax holiday of up to twenty years.