Egypt’s Sisi witnesses launch of Future of Egypt Industrial City Phase I

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El Sisi witnessed Wednesday the inauguration of the first phase of Egypt’s Mostaqbal Misr (Future of Egypt) Industrial City, a flagship agro-industrial hub west of the Nile Delta. The North African country pushes ahead with plans to expand cultivated land, reduce food imports, and ramp up agricultural exports.

The launch event, held at the Sheikh Zayed Axis in Giza, also marked the official start of Egypt’s harvest season, with President Sisi joining live video feeds from wheat and sugar beet farms in East Oweinat, Aswan, and Sadat. The president emphasised the strategic importance of agriculture and industry in bolstering Egypt’s economic resilience.

The project is part of a wider state-led effort to reclaim 4.5 million feddans (1.9 million hectares) of desert land, including 800,000 feddans to be added to Egypt’s cultivated area by September 2025. The target is to increase total arable land to 13.5 million feddans by 2027, according to Bahaa El-Ghannam, executive director of the Mostaqbal Misr Sustainable Development Authority.

“This is a cornerstone of Egypt’s food security strategy,” El-Ghannam said, adding that the initiative aims to curb the country’s $20 billion annual food import bill and boost exports of agricultural and food products.

Government Divestment

The government also plans to list 30 per cent stakes in several state-owned companies affiliated with the Mostaqbal Misr Authority on the Egyptian Exchange, part of a broader privatisation push. These companies, with a combined annual business volume of about 100 billion Egyptian pounds, operate in sectors including transport, energy distribution, petrochemicals, and agricultural services.

The industrial city includes storage facilities, grain silos, feed and drying factories, and cold chain infrastructure for preserving crops. Renewable energy and digital transformation are also key components of the development.

Expanding stockpiles

Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Sherif Farouk said the government is stepping up local wheat procurement, expanding strategic reserves, and increasing the number of mobile and fixed-price outlets serving around 70 million people.

New Valley Governor Mohamed Al-Zamlout also presented progress on infrastructure upgrades, horizontal agricultural expansion, and the construction of a smart government services complex and a new university. Sisi inaugurated the complex via video conference during the event.

Following the ceremony, Sisi toured parts of the industrial city, including a visit to Al-Khair Farm and an aerial inspection of the larger development site. The president concluded the visit with a commemorative photo alongside senior officials and project workers.

The industrial-agriculture initiative reflects Egypt’s broader efforts to improve food sovereignty, attract investment, and accelerate growth, as the country navigates inflationary pressures and seeks to restore macroeconomic stability.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English