Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly chaired the higher committee meeting overseeing organization of the Africa Cup of Nations to follow up preparations for the cup, which Egypt will host in June.
Madbouly said that the aim of the meeting was to coordinate with all concerned parties in the country, stressing the tournament’s importance in improving Egypt’s image abroad as Egypt’s taking over the presidency of the African Union.
He stressed that Egypt aims to draw in the same large crowds it used to attract in similar tournaments.
The committee’s goal is also manage the economic aspects and indirect revenues of the tournament, such as with tourism and to organize marketing for the tournament, Madbouly said.
Ministers of electricity, tourism, finance, local development, communications, and sports alongside representatives of various concerned bodies attended the meeting.
The Prime Minister instructed developing tourist programs for audiences and tourists to draw them to tourist attractions in the cities hosting the matches.
Concerned authorities are working alongside the communications ministry for television broadcasting of the matches. The communications minister also stressed that stadiums were connected to fiber cables to ensure high quality internet speed.
Madbouly instructed the minister of communications to strengthen phone call coverage and internet service in the vicinity of stadiums, and also instructed facilitating the issuance of visas for sports delegations in coordination between the Foreign and Interior ministries.
Electric feeders, distribution panels and transformers were performing well, the Electricity Minister said.
Egypt’s National Media Authority head Hussein Zein said that the authority is working on digitally broadcasting the matches.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
