Committee on Toskha & East Al-Oynat Development

Prime Minister, Dr. Kamal Al-Ganzoury, held meeting on the committee concerned with implementation of Toshka and East Al-Oynat development projects, in the presence of Ministers of Electricity, Water Resources and Agriculture, and Governors of Aswan and New Valley, as well as General Secretary of the Cabinet of Ministers, Head of the Agricultural Projects Development Authority, and representative of the Defense Ministry. The Minister of Agriculture stated that the meeting followed-up on procedures taken by the government over the recent period to move the stopped capacities in the mega national projects such as Toskha and East Al-Oynat and the meeting tackled executive procedures carried to speed implementation of the national and development projects therein.

The meeting studies problems and obstacles hindering projects implementation and reasons behind investors’ reluctance to invest therein. Dr. Al-Ganzoury approved allocation of additional 20,000 acres for Al-Rajihi Company so that total acres allocated for the company reach 130,000 for the agricultural and animal investments. He also approved allocation of 10,000 acres for Al-Zahra Co. for Agricultural Investment so that total acres allocated for the company reach 30,000 on condition that the two companies shall immediately start reclamation and development procedures. The Minister of Agriculture stated that local wheat crop planted in the reclaimed lands in Toshka and East Al-Oynat amount to 50,000 tons of best wheat kinds.

He added that the reason behind investors’ reluctance to invest in this area returns to their interest in owning the lands via ownership system and not usufruct right as applied currently. The government is keen on providing all means of technical support, and establishing utilities and infrastructure for serious investors, and keen on including the item of loans and dealing with banks in the usufruct right contract. The government will withdraw some lands from the unserious investors and re-offering them to fresh graduates; 5 acres for each. The government aims at pushing the stopped national projects, and Dr. Al-Ganzoury confirmed that the aim of implementing such mega projects in Toshka and East Al-Oynat not only the agricultural investment but also as comprehensive development and establishing new communities.

He confirmed the government’s responsibility for establishing utilities, infrastructure, hospitals and schools, as well as supporting the serious companies where the government decreased the obligatory insurance amount for acre from EGP 600 to EGP 60, along to the necessity of planting strategic crops while keeping the strategic store of ground water. Dr. Al-Ganzoury called for forming a committee comprising Ministers of Electricity, Water Resources, Agriculture and Governors of Aswan and New Valley aiming to set speed perspective and executive procedures for achieving comprehensive development in the mentioned area which represent 50% of Egypt’s area until completing formation of the National Council for Comprehensive Development. He also called for restudying prices of transport and flights to these areas to ease it for people and facilitate their transportation. Dr. Al-Ganzoury approved establishment of 5 silos or wheat storage in New Valley, where the governorate will provide locations and finance.