Egypt: Cairo has two new airports

Posted On 30 June 2020

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President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Monday inaugurated two more airports near Cairo in a bid to lure tourists as Egypt aims to recover from the economic downturn caused by coronavirus. One airport is in Egypt’s new administrative capital, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) to the east, that the government hopes to turn into a hub that reduces traffic in the sprawling 20-million strong megacity of Cairo. The other is called Sphinx Airport in Giza, south of the capital. Both will soon handle flights from abroad, in addition to Cairo international airport, after authorities announced the return of all commercial flights starting 1 July.

Sisi also unveiled the restored Baron Empain Palace in eastern Cairo, built by wealthy Belgian industrialist Edouard Empain between 1907 and 1911. The architectural masterpiece is constructed in a style reminiscent of the Cambodian Hindu temple of Angkor Wat set amid lush gardens. The facelift which began in 2017 cost over $6 million.

The spree of openings come after Egypt officially ended a three-month nighttime curfew on Saturday. Cafes and shops have re-opened but public beaches and parks remain closed as part of measures to curb the spread of coronavirus. Egypt has recorded more than 65,000 COVID-19 cases including over 2,700 deaths.

AFP
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Written by The North Africa Journal

The North Africa Journal is a leading English-language publication focused on North Africa. The Journal covers primarily the Maghreb region and expands its general coverage to the Sahel, Egypt, and beyond, when events in those regions affect the broader North Africa geography. The Journal does not have any affiliation with any institution and has been independent since its founding in 1996. Our position is to always bring our best analysis of events affecting the region, and remain as neutral as humanly possible. Our coverage is not limited to one single topic, but ranges from economic and political affairs, to security, defense, social and environmental issues. We rely on our full staff analysts and editors to bring you best-in-class analysis. We also work with sister company MEA Risk LLC, to leverage the presence on the ground of a solid network of contributors and experts. Information on MEA Risk can be found at www.MEA-Risk.com.

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