The implementation of a set of mega national projects started by the end of the second millennium and will continue for long years to come. These aim at re-charting a new urban and production map that can achieve balanced development in Egypt's various provinces and ensure optimal exploitation of all available, but not yet exploited resources in desert areas rich with promising natural elements.

These projects are centralized in two areas, namely Southern Egypt and Suez Canal and Sinai.

These mega projects will help create new urban communities outside the valley in the depth of the Egyptian desert. The new communities will absorb the ever increasing population; thus alleviating population intensity in the valley, increasing the percentage of populated areas from 5.3 percent to 25 percent of Egypt's total area.

They will also help create productive agricultural, industrial, tourist and mining projects, thus opening vast prospects for investment against several privileges for all to set up production, service and infrastructure projects necessary for these new communities.

 

Following is an overview of the major mega projects:

1- Toshka Project

Toshka project is designed to create a new delta in the south of the Western Desert parallel to the Nile, adding 540,000 feddans to the cultivated area, to be irrigated by Nile water and comprising various economic activities.

2- East Owainat Project

East Owainat project, a major development venture in the Southern Valley, is located in the southwestern part of Egypt's Western Desert. The project aims at reclaiming and cultivating an area of 230,000 feddans totally depending on subterranean water reservoir available in the project area.

Moreover, clean agricultural techniques will be applied to produce pollutant-free crops suitable for exportation. Up to June 30, 2003, about 47,000 feddans were cultivated and infrastructure for 380 wells was implemented. Scientific method was applied in selecting the crops, the most significant of which are: potatoes, medicinal herbs, fruits and grains that suit regional climate. Production yielded quite promising results and was totally exported. The 10-year project has total investment cost of LE 3.5 billion and is expected to provide 20,000 job opportunities.

3- Al-Salam Canal Project

Salient of the mega development projects is Al-Salam Canal project. It will help add to the cultivable area 620,000 feddans depending on the Nile water mixed with agricultural drainage water at Salam Canal and its branches extend over a length of 262 km.

 

It is divided into two phases:

Phase I (West of Suez Canal)
Phase II (East of Suez Canal and Sinai)

4- Sharq Al-Tafria' Project

Sharq Al- Tafria' mega project, located east of Port Said at the northern-western corner of Sinai kick-started 4 years ago.

It covers an area of about 220 km2 bounded to the north by the Mediterranean Sea over a length of about 22 km2.

5- The Project of Development Northwest Suez Gulf

The implementation of Northwest Suez Gulf project started in 1998. It comprises a huge hub port and a free economic zone, covering an area of 288 million m2. The project provides about 250,000 new job opportunities.

6- Valley of Technology Project

Implementation of the Valley of Technology Project, the first of its kind in the Middle East, kick-started in 1995.

It is planned as a centre for hi-tech industries as well as feeder and complementary industries, research laboratories and training centres.

The project will help increase investment opportunities in various development areas especially the Canal zone and Sinai and attract foreign capital and investments.

The project is located on the east bank of Suez Canal at the northwestern access to Sinai peninsula covering an area of 16,500 feddans. It is being carried out in four phases at an investment of US Dollar 12 billion. Work in phase I started over an area of 215 feddans at a cost of about LE 60 million.