Egypt Establishes Spiritual, Political Status of New Administrative Capital

Arab World

March 24th, 7:41am

Cairo – Asharq Al-Awsat

President Sisi tours the Islamic Cultural Center in the New Administrative Capital. (Egyptian Presidency)

The Egyptian government established the spiritual and political status of its New Administrative Capital (NAC) and is gradually transferring the ministries, legislative, and security institutions there. On Thursday, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and cabinet members at the Strategic Leadership Center in the New Administrative Capital. Spokesman for the Presidency Ahmed Fahmy stated that the meeting discussed the government's plan to relocate ministries and various state agencies and institutions to the new capital. According to the spokesman, Sisi directed intensifying efforts to ensure the government's move to the capital was smooth. He noted that it could only be achieved through the modernization of buildings and premises and the qualification of workers, and the provision of training programs to government personnel to teach them modern methods of administration. "These efforts, in turn, would contribute to establishing an efficient and effective administrative body," he said. The spokesman added that the president was briefed on developments in implementing the first phase of the Decent Life initiative to develop the Egyptian countryside and preparations for the start of the second phase. Sisi inaugurated on Thursday – the first day of the holy fasting month of Ramadan - Egypt's Islamic Cultural Center in the New Administrative Capital. The Center boasts a public library, places for memorizing the Quran, 160 shops, and an upper courtyard accommodating 55,000 worshippers. The mosque can accommodate a total of 130,000 worshippers. The Center includes a rare copy of the Quran of the companion Othman bin Affan. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister met a French delegation of politicians and journalists at the government headquarters in the new capital. Madbouly told the French delegation that the NAC is the fruit of six years of achievements, as the area was once a complete desert. He discussed the projects the Egyptian state had adopted over the past period in what he described as "the axis of major projects." The PM explained that in light of Egypt's population increase, the government had no choice but to expand construction to new areas.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/4230641/egypt-establishes-spiritual-political-status-new-administrative-capital