Egypt leader gives green light to Mideast’s largest park project

CAIRO: An Egyptian project to build the largest park in the Middle East — a green “oasis” in the heart of historic Cairo — will get underway within days following a directive by Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Tuesday.
El-Sisi told the government to begin implementing the Fustat Hills Park project as part of the country’s efforts to develop the greater Cairo region.
The project will offer a window on Egypt’s history, and also aims to be a tourist attraction for regional and international visitors.
The park will be built on 500 acres in the center of historic Cairo and is set to be the largest in the Middle East.
It will house the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, alongside the Ain El-Sira Lake, the Religions Complex and Amr bin El-Aas Mosque.
The park also will make an “ecological leap” as the largest green space in the heart of Cairo.
During a meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and presidential adviser Mohammed Amin, El-Sisi also ordered the development of roads and main entrances surrounding the project site to continue.
Presidential spokesman Bassam Rady said El-Sisi reviewed preparations to carry out the project’s general plan.
The park will include activities that highlight Egyptian heritage, with areas designated to showcase the Pharaonic, Coptic, Islamic and modern eras.
It will also offer cultural and commercial activities, hotel services and open theaters, while a large plateau will give visitors unrivalled sights of the city.
The park will feature areas for antiquities and excavation, and heritage gardens. A hill with a spectacular view of the pyramids, Giza Plateau, Salah El-Din Citadel and the Cairo minarets will be located at the heart of the park.
An adventure section, an Egyptian flower garden and an entertainment center also will be available to visitors.

Egypt leader gives green light to Mideast’s largest park project