Renovation of 5 areas in Egypt's Historic Cairo is ongoing: official

CAIRO – 4 April 2022: Chairman of the Civil Development Fund Khaled Sediq told Al Watan newspaper Monday that five areas are being renovated within the first phase of the Historic Cairo rehabilitation plan.

Sediq noted that Historic Cairo, also known as Islamic Cairo and Medieval Cairo, was designated a World Heritage Site in 1979 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The five areas are the surroundings of Al Hakem Bi Amr Allah Mosque, Bab Zoweila, Darb Al Labana, Haret Al Rom, and Hussein Mosque. The ongoing works include restoring the exterior of buildings that enjoy constructional safety, and rebuilding news ones replacing those sold by owners to the government.

Speaking of unplanned areas, the fund's chairman noted that the total surface area of those is 152,000 feddans dispersed across 227 cities nationwide. Yet, the development of 10,037 feddans of those is ongoing.

Deputy Cairo Governor Gihane Abdel Moneim stated in March that 47 out of 520 flat-buildings in the slums of El Sokar wa Al Laymoun, Hosh Al Ghagar, and Al Gayara located near Cairo Citadel Aqueduct have been demolished.

The official added that 154 out of 1,660 families were moved to Al Khayala residential compound located at Al Basatin neighborhood.

Al Khayala is an alternative-housing project spanning over an area of 40 feddans (one feddan equals 4,500 acres), and consists of 42 nine-storey flat-buildings having a total of 2,268 residential units.

Abdel Moneim pointed out that the other slums that were removed from Historic Cairo, and whose residents were also granted fully-furnished flats are Ezbet Abou Qarn, Batn Al Baqara, and Tal Al Aqareb.