A national plan for the strategic development of high priority border areas to protect against external threats has been prepared by the Housing, Utilities and Urban Development Ministry's Urban Planning Authority in coordination with other relevant ministries.
According to the plan, the Housing Ministry has identified Sinai, the western border with Libya, the southwest border, Halaib, Shalatin, Abu Ramad and Nubia as the target border areas.
For “national security” purposes, three general areas in Sinai have been identified as priorities for intensifying housing and demographic growth, including those bordering the gulfs of Suez and Aqaba.
In northern Sinai, the main development areas will include Arish and eastern Port Said, with the agricultural, tourism and fish farming sectors to be developed, as well as the Ismailia – Awja road to support tourism and land reclamation activities. The main development strategy for South Sinai will be limited to providing integrated urban development to accommodate the population density in Sharm el-Sheikh, in addition to tourism development in some areas of Tor Sinai and Ras Mohamed.
In the southern region of Upper Egypt and the Red Sea, five industrial zones have been selected including Hamrawein, Nuseir, Marsa Alam, Elaqy and South Shalatin. Development of these areas should provide some 6500 job opportunities following the completion of the East Oweinat and Toshka development projects and the establishment of two new cities and a number of farming villages.
In addition, 51,000 acres of fish farms will be created in the north of the city of Shalatin, which should create 17,000 jobs. A planned fish manufacturing and packaging company should provide another 1600 job opportunities, and the development of commercial ports and tourism in the region is also included in the plan.
Other plans for the region include the activation of the Halaib Customs Services Center and the Abu Ramad trade city, which will link Sudan with Saudi Arabia.
The plans also include the establishment of an industrial zone in Shalatin that will include gold crafting factories, a mining complex, a complex for complementary industries, a tourist village, and three and five star hotels. Development plans for regional areas will include the establishment of a number of craft schools, a fishing port and a tourism port in the city of Haddrabah for the transport of Hajj pilgrims, as well as the establishment of a logistics city and an industrial slaughterhouse. In Halaib, development will target environmental industries, fishing gear, marine fishing and the wool carpet industries, in addition to the establishment of a diving club.
Translated from the Arabic Edition
