On June 1, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly unveiled plans for a new city to be developed in the desert, which will use about 7% of the country's annual Nile River water quota, according to Reuters.
The Egyptian authorities believe that constructing this city will increase the value of state assets and raise land prices by implementing "unconventional, innovative ideas." The project also aims to address the nation's severe water shortages, electricity limitations, and the deepening economic crisis.
Developers explained that around 10 million cubic meters of Nile water would be channeled each day to the new city of Girian, which will cover 6.8 million square meters west of Cairo. This water will also support irrigation for the New Delta agricultural project, spanning 2.28 million acres.
Plans for the new city include residential areas, commercial districts, a marina, and a free economic zone.
In April, RASU JSC, a subsidiary of Russia's Rosatom, began creating a local computing network for Egypt's El-Dabaa nuclear power plant, which is currently under construction.
Sabina Akopyan
