Al-Ganzoury Held Wide Meeting on Sinai Development

Prime Minister, Dr. Kamal Al-Ganzoury, held wide meeting to discuss Sinai development file in attendance of Ministers of Planning, Housing, Interior, Justice, Irrigation, Agriculture, Transport, and Environment, as well as Governors of South and North Sinai, Head of the Urban Planning, Head of the State Lands Usage, and representatives of the Defense and Tourism Ministries and authorities concerned with Sinai development. Dr. Al-Ganzoury approved several demands from Sinai people security side, or farmers, youth, or educational ones.

The Minister of Planning announced that Dr. Al-Ganzoury approved exempting Sinai farmers from EGP 168 million; 50% of their debts to the Bank for Development and Agricultural Credit and the bank will bear EGP 105 million while the state will bear EGP 63 million. It is worth noting that 3940 farmers from North Sinai and 287 from South Sinai will be benefited from such decree. Sinai Development Authority will be activated over one week, and will distribute 81,000 feddans of various areas among Sinai people where the Ministry of Irrigation will provide water therein.

The Minister of Planning stated that the armed forces has waived 3200 feddans for establishment of industrial zone in Abu Zenima, and Dr. Al-Ganzoury delegated the Minister of Industry to set investment plan meeting the region within the massive metallurgical possibilities enjoyed therein. It was decreed to develop Marina Taba and transfers its affiliation to the Red Sea Ports Authority instead of the private sector. Moreover, EGP 15 million will be approved over the current fiscal year to complete the largest part of the railway rehabilitation and operation from Al-Abd Well amounting to EGP 30 million. During the meeting, the Minister of Interior reviewed achievements of Sinai demand concerning the security aspect where a large security leap has witnessed in South and North Sinai as well as the border areas, something which would achieve stability and tourism attraction. They also agreed on establishing police station in Rafah over two years, but the station is temporarily operated in a building affiliating the Information Authority.

The armed forces decided to exempt from the military services number of 1800 North Sinai sons, and 1500 from South Sinai who are above 30 years. The armed forces has sent missions for both South and North Sinai for several projects including a desalination station, 10 points for selling the national service products, establishing 200 grain silos, 4 fuel stations, digging 10 irrigation wells, youth centers, 2 comprehensive medical clinics and others. The Supreme Council for Universities approved establishment of governmental university in North Sinai with branch in South Sinai.

It was agreed on provision of physicians with appropriate residences, and the tourism ministry agreed on providing EGP 8 million to support specialists to encourage them for living in Sinai, as well as providing hospitals with several equipments. Members of the National Council for Sports will pay a tour field to recognize Sinai requirements of sports buildings, and playgrounds. It was agreed on increasing the electrical capacity of Sinai, as the generated energy in North Sinai reaches 1590 MW and in South Sinai 480 MW. From his side, the Minister of Housing said that the urban and investment development planning will be completed, along to studying establishment of another governorate in middle of Sinai to absorb more than 3 million people. He added that number of water projects and desalination stations were established in North Sinai with investments EGP 94 million, sanitation projects with EGP 37 million, other water projects with EGP 59 million, electricity projects with EGP 27 million along to establishing village for farmers in Al-Aresh with USD 50 million.

The Minister of Transport said that a ring road will be inaugurated around Al-Aresh city, along to completion of the railway project from Al-Ferdan to East Port-Said amounting to EGP 230 million, development of Al-Aresh Port with EGP one billion and 400 million on four phases. South Sinai Governor said that for the first time a fish planting farm will be introduced with length 600 km, while studying the establishment of airport in Ras Sedr.

Dr. Al-Ganzoury directed for forming a ministerial committee to solve problem of Sinai Company for Coal stopped since 14 years. The Minister of Education approved the provision of 1450 professions for teachers therein. Replying a question on the security situation in North Sinai, the governor said that the security breakdown is witnessing nationwide but it started to improve over the recent period and efficiency was improved in several police stations and the traffic pass unit was developed in Rafah. The government expressed sorrow over the fire broke witnessed in the petroleum reservoirs, the Minister of Planning said, adding that all the concerned agencies, armed forces and maritime forces moved once the fire broke to contain the situation.