Back to the Future, the work of the Remal Foundation which was founded by a group of architects and urban planners in the wake of the 25 January Revolution, is a plan for building Egypt's future on a sound and ethical basis. To develop this vision a lot of work needs to be done, and the purpose of the foundation is to work with experts in various areas of specialisation in order to find concrete ways of realising it. The foundation, a non-profit organisation, works with other groups interested in Egypt's future and hopes to gain access to the highest levels of the country's decision-makers in order to turn its ideas into reality. “When former president Hosni Mubarak was ousted in February 2011, a group of architects led by Ashraf Abdel-Mohsen and other urban planners decided to set up a non-profit organisation whose aim would be to develop a strategy for Egypt's future,” said Somaya Bahieddin, a manager at Remal. Seven principles were set down early on, including greater industrialisation, the development of the country's tourism industry, and better living standards for all Egyptians based on education and scientific research. The foundation's vision, called Egypt's Future Map for 2060, depends on the use of the country's vast resources to achieve a higher quality of living for all Egyptians while sustaining its natural and human resources. Sustainable development depends on using available resources while searching for alternatives in order not to deplete them. “Historically, people in Egypt have settled on only seven per cent of the land, namely the Nile Valley from the Delta in the north to the borders of the Sudan in the south, while the Sinai Peninsula has remained largely undeveloped. Our aim is to look at ways of spreading settlement out to the north, east, south and west as a way of making the whole country habitable. To do so, it is necessary to make use of land resources to provide a high quality of living for the people,” Bahieddin said. “Three pillars are necessary to achieve this vision: energy, land and water. The future map looks at possible avenues for energy, land and water development. Energy is the main anchor around which the vision is built, and fortunately Egypt has a vast reserve of clean energy which is as yet untapped. The Red Sea area is the perfect spot for solar energy farms, while Qattara along the Mediterranean coast lies below sea level, inviting the idea of generating hydroelectric power. Studies of the area began in the 1960s, but further research needs to be done to confirm its viability,” she added. Corridors and cities are gateways to the new vision. Corridors are routes that can allow the country to use its resources better, and the plan envisages a trading corridor, a gold corridor and a green corridor, each being a portal to create access to the country's rich resources in addition to meeting demands on its heritage. Seven new capital cities are envisioned for the future in which Cairo would retain its position as the cultural and spiritual capital. Alexandria would be the capital for science and knowledge, and a new city, Nefertari, yet to be built, would be the political and entertainment capital. In addition, a new capital, Seneen, intended for business and trade, would be built. The area of Al-Wahat would be developed as the green technology capital, and Luxor would be slated as the world heritage capital. Finally, Toshka would be the country's eco-agricultural capital. Thirty-two airports would serve the country's different regions, in addition to 40,000 km of roads. While the vision is broad, it is the result of the work of many urban planners and architects whose main aim has been to improve Egyptians' living standards and foster their development as human beings. Each part has been developed by a team of experts in their field who have created its detailed objectives and action plan. Each stage in the process is divided into four-year periods to be implemented during each presidential tenure as a way of creating achievable targets to be met by the government as well as by the foundation. On the ground, the foundation has a lot of work to do, however, though there have been some early successes. The Cairo district of Manshiet Nasser is one such example, whose development was meant to be a prototype for other projects that could be replicated elsewhere. After initial studies following the 25 January Revolution, the Remal Foundation drew up plans for the development of Manshiet Nasser as a way of showing how it could serve to demonstrate the fruits of cohesive labour and mutual benefit to drive Egypt's development. The neighbourhood was studied closely in terms of its historical, cultural and topographical nature to get a clear picture of what should be done. The “lungs” of the area in its centre were the starting point, and tenders were issued to local contractors to start renovating buildings and removing garbage. In the foundation's vision for the district it will have a corniche with areas for coffee shops and cafeterias and local shops and craftsmen. The idea is to promote an integrated vision of work and leisure in an urban context that can form a prototype for Egypt's future. Much remains to be done to complete this picture, of course, but this pilot project points the way and the effort persists.
