Egypt is set to start establishing a new city in Suez, 134 km (83 miles) from Cairo, next July, said Minister of Housing Asem El-Gazzar on Tuesday. Egypt is embarking on a slate of ambitious and new, fourth-generation ‘smart' cities on the cusp of the nation's Sustainable Development Strategy 2030, in bid to increase residential area, improve life quality and absorb population surge. The new cities, announced so far, will be established in Luxor, Qalyubia, Matrouh, Daqahliya, Beheira, Giza, Port Said, Cairo, North Sinai, Beni Suef, Minya, Assiut, Qena, and Aswan, while the largest such city is the New Administrative Capital, east of the capital Cairo. They are expected to accommodate about 30 million people in addition to providing millions of jobs. The fourth generation cities are integrated cities in terms of availability of services and the use of advanced technologies in infrastructure and facilities. El-Gazzar made these remarks on the sidelines of inaugurating a number of national flagships by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Suez and South Sinai governorates. These projects include the Suez Steel Company, the Sumed Maritime Quay, a marble factory complex in South Sinai, and the Iron Rolling Factory 3. During the inauguration, Sisi directed the establishment of fully automated control rooms in all the country's the new industrial complexes. The president said the road projects – being constructed throughout Egypt -are not a luxury but aim at opening new pipelines for investment. The roads' initial cost is worth 5.5 billion Egyptian pounds ($341.3 million).
