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Egypt is getting a new capital city -- courtesy of China

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Kingo Fringo
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In Egypt's eastern desert, roads are being carved across vast expanses of sand where the government is building a new administrative capital, a long-cherished project that has failed in the past.

The city will be complete with luxury hotels, upscale residential districts, a modern airport and a 345-metre tower, touted as Africa's tallest.

The work is being carried out about 45 kilometres east of Cairo, between roads connecting the metropolis to the canal city of Suez and the Red Sea resort town of Ain Sokhna.

Workers are building a district to house a new presidential palace, parliament, 32 ministries and foreign embassies.

"I work more than 12 hours a day on this useless construction site," complained one labourer, a scarf wrapped around his head to protect him from the sun.

"You want to be on TV? No? Then get back to work," yelled his supervisor.

The project, seen as expensive and not a priority for Egyptians, has been hard to sell, especially given past failures.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in 2015 announced the project to build a new capital, expected to cost some $45 billion and to be completed by 2022, according to the authorities.

The cost has angered many in a country with a crisis-hit economy.

The first phase of construction was officially launched in October, with the new capital aiming to expand to 170 square kilometres (65 square miles) and house over six million people.

For the authorities, the project is a necessity due to Cairo's gradual decay and congestion.

With its 18 million inhabitants and constant traffic gridlock, Greater Cairo is expected to see its population bulge to 40 million by 2050, according to official figures.

Hesitation among investors

"We have a dream," said Khaled el-Husseiny, contracted by the authorities to present the project to journalists.

He said Egypt aspires to have a capital in the gleaming image of Abu Dhabi, the oil-rich capital of the United Arab Emirates.

The ministry of defence and the ministry of housing manage the project, including its funding, Husseiny told AFP.

To carry it out, the government is currently focusing on key Egyptian private companies.

Orascom Construction, owned by the billionaire Sawiris family, is responsible for many of the sites.

Real estate tycoon Hisham Talaat Moustafa, who Sisi pardoned in June after he was jailed for the murder of a Lebanese pop diva in Dubai almost a decade ago, is also involved.

Moustafa, who was an associate of ousted president Hosni Mubarak, has bought two square kilometres for himself in the new capital.

But amid hesitation from foreign investors, only a few Gulf companies and a Chinese partner have expressed interest in the project.

"We are very optimistic about the participation of Chinese companies in the new capital," said Han Bing of the commercial affairs section at China's embassy.

The China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) in October signed a $3-billion contract to build a large business centre.

"We need the Egyptian partner to promote this area to attract Egyptian and international investment," Han said, stressing the need for political stability and a secure environment for foreign investors.

Abundance of new cities

Among some 30 new cities launched in Egypt since the 1960s, with white and grey walls and brick roofs, inspired by suburbs in the United States and the Gulf, a city called New Cairo stands between Cairo and the new capital's location.

It was supposed to house four million people, but only 1.5 million Cairenes live in the district, which also houses banks and businesses.

"We can compare the new capital to New Cairo," said Ahmed Zaazaa, an urban architect and planner at 10 Tooba, where a group of researchers promote an alternative urban policy.

With its malls that are unreachable without a private car and its lifeless streets, "it is not a success that one could take as a model", said Zaazaa.

Far from meeting the real needs of Cairo residents, the new capital, according to Zaazaa, can largely be seen as political propaganda.

"Since Nasser, under each government, there has been the idea of a new city which is supposed to represent hope, future and modernity," he said.

But according to the authorities, the latest project is different.

"It will be a smart city using modern technologies for all services on site," said General Ahmed Zaki Abdin, head of the Administrative Capital for Urban Development which is managing the project.

Source: Egypt revives dream of new administrative capital

Location of the new capital:
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Plan

http%3A%2F%2Fcdn.cnn.com%2Fcnnnext%2Fdam%2Fassets%2F150314051846-egypt-new-capital.jpg

Model of the new capital on display during the announcement of the project in Sharm el Sheikh.

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Plan for the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ

Current Construction

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Labourers at work

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Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ under construction

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New Al-Massa capital hotel already built


Pictures from: http://www.cnn.com/style/article/egypt-new-capital/index.html
Masa Hotel to host Administrative City’s visitors
 
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Having lived in Egypt, this will turn into a shambles and decay as they have zero respect for their surroundings. Filthy, filthy, filthy country.

This. It's the filthiest place Ive ever been to. I was disgusted and got food poisoning and suffered for the last days of my holiday. I wasn't surprised because there's litter everywhere in the streets.

Dont get me started on the tourist hot spots.

I would never go again if you paid me.
 

GlitterBelle

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It looks ugly. Asian people created their own market stall areas in Nigeria but because Nigerians have particular food tastes and how the foods are prepared it hasn't gone so well. Unless Asians are building for Asians and will be inclusive of the countrymen it may be rejected. But a lot of white European people holiday there so they could be attracting them.
 

Oasis Raih

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This. It's the filthiest place Ive ever been to. I was disgusted and got food poisoning and suffered for the last days of my holiday. I wasn't surprised because there's litter everywhere in the streets.

Dont get me started on the tourist hot spots.

I would never go again if you paid me.
WOW I'm shocked! I've always wanted to see the pyramids.

You think I should save my coins?
 

FreshOrange

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It looks ugly. Asian people created their own market stall areas in Nigeria but because Nigerians have particular food tastes and how the foods are prepared it hasn't gone so well. Unless Asians are building for Asians and will be inclusive of the countrymen it may be rejected. But a lot of white European people holiday there so they could be attracting them.

Wouldn’t europeans go to Nigeria to eat Nigerian food? It’s not like food from Asian is even what they would be used to in their respective countries.

I didn’t even know Asians were chilling in Africa like that


It has begun....well

It has already began
 

Gomez A Batiste

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This. It's the filthiest place Ive ever been to. I was disgusted and got food poisoning and suffered for the last days of my holiday. I wasn't surprised because there's litter everywhere in the streets.

Dont get me started on the tourist hot spots.

I would never go again if you paid me.

Literally every single person I have talked to who has gone to Egypt told me that they got food poisoning. This alone has always deterred me from wanting to go.
 
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WOW I'm shocked! I've always wanted to see the pyramids.

You think I should save my coins?

You should still go and see the pyramids. Its a beautiful sight and certainly worth the trip alone for that. You can still do short trips there!

eta: There are certain places and things that you should really see with you own eyes. Just be safe (obviously) and take lots of hand sanitiser and medicine lol.
 
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Literally every single person I have talked to who has gone to Egypt told me that they got food poisoning. This alone has always deterred me from wanting to go.

I've been twice. The first time was over a decade ago and before the terrorist attacks there. I was in a resort in sharm el-sheihk so pretty much tucked away, the hotel food wasnt bad and pretty much typical hotel food.

My second time....is my last time. When the whole place is filthy you really start to wonder what the people & their cleanliness must be like.I can only imagine what the 'chef's are doing behind the scenes.

For somewhere thats meant to be a tourist hot spot, you'd think they'd have some decency and get it cleaned up a bit more. With poor hygiene standards, its unsurprising people leave unwell.
 

kaelove

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China has in the past attempted to build cities in their own country that now stand empty (called "ghost towns"). Because as a general rule cities need to grow organically and people living in them need access to places of work and social networks. You can't simply force that.

So it'll be interesting to see how this city turns out, especially since the goal seems to be to create luxury apartments for the upper classes. The question is, is there a demand for this? Will the rich currently living in Cairo choose to move there? Or is there a risk of most apartments being bought by foreigners not living in the area for most of the year? The luxury hotels could for sure appeal to tourists (especially rich Gulf Arabs who love Egypt), but I'm not so certain they'll be able to attract locals. Because people who work in the tourism industry (such as hotel staff, shop managers) obviously wouldn't be able to afford these luxury apartments and would probably be commuting from outside the city.

So it'll be interesting to see how this develops...
 

Hexa

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With its 18 million inhabitants and constant traffic gridlock, Greater Cairois expected to see its population bulge to 40 million by 2050, according to official figures.

Save yourself the 45 billion on a new city and just get some damn birth control. No city in the world needs 40 million people. That's more than all of California packed into one city.
 

GabrieleChristo

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This. It's the filthiest place Ive ever been to. I was disgusted and got food poisoning and suffered for the last days of my holiday. I wasn't surprised because there's litter everywhere in the streets.

Dont get me started on the tourist hot spots.

I would never go again if you paid me.

Same thing happened to me. Cairo is dusty but I didn't realize that filth was to blame. I just thought that my stomach didn't take to the food. Our tour guide had us bring health supplements and our own bottled water (due to the high salt content in their water) so I was only sick for one day.
 

GabrieleChristo

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Literally every single person I have talked to who has gone to Egypt told me that they got food poisoning. This alone has always deterred me from wanting to go.

It's still a must do (IMO). I was only sick for one day but other than that (and almost getting electrocuted by a falling wire, lol), it was one of my best trips to date. I'd do it all over again.
 

Yourfaveisfake

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This. It's the filthiest place Ive ever been to. I was disgusted and got food poisoning and suffered for the last days of my holiday. I wasn't surprised because there's litter everywhere in the streets.

Dont get me started on the tourist hot spots.

I would never go again if you paid me.

There's literally an area in Cairo called garbage city that has mile high piles of garbage lol
 

Gomez A Batiste

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Ya'll still ain't won me over w/ visiting Egypt. I don't do well with must, crust, and disgust. I already have a sensitive stomach as it is.
 
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Tantamani

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"Courtesy of China"? Nearly all of it is financed by the Egyptian government and private sector. Hundreds of construction companies from around the world are involved.

Anyways New Cairo is very attractive for investors. You can find a 3br 3ba apartment with modern amenities for only $50k, possibly $20k. Not to mention there are western chains like IKEA, forever21, Mcdonalds, payless, etc on every subdivision which attracts foreigners (Americans in particular).

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I know this thread is ancient, but too much ignorance/misinformation in here. Plus some fonts wanted to see how it would turn out (despite the project being 10+ years old).
 

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