Egypt's President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi visited on Monday the Benban Solar Energy Complex in Aswan governorate where he inaugurated several energy projects in Upper Egypt, via video conference. The opening ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohamed Shaker, and senior statesmen. Al-Sisi inspected the Benban Solar Energy Complex, arguably the largest in the Middle East, which was established in partnership with the private sector and specialized international institutions. The new projects included converting the West Assiut Energy Station into a combined-cycle system, and establishing the Samalut Regional Control Center. During the event, Sayed Farouk, Head of the Upper Egypt Electricity District at the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company, delivered a presentation on the Benban Complex. Notably, Al-Sisi called for spreading digital electricity meters nationwide to avoid incorrect meter reading and to help citizens control consumption. During the inauguration, the Minister of Electricity said the government worked on increasing reliance on renewable energy. He noted that the private sector, whether local or foreign, contributed significantly to renewable energy projects, which shows the state's strong cooperation with the private sector in this field. He revealed that the total energy investments in Upper Egypt have exceeded EGP 1trn since 2014. In this context, the President stressed that the government will continue developing this sector, calling on the media to shed light on the state efforts in this regard. He also called on universities and schools to organize student trips to those projects. This would raise the morale of citizens and increase their confidence in the state's ability to develop the country, Al-Sisi said. He pointed out that the Benban Solar Energy Complex, for example, is a wonderful project developed by the private sector and operated by the people of Upper Egypt.
