Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli embarked on an inspection tour to witness the development of the Al-Saff Investment Zone
Madbouly stresses the importance of enhancing the assets in the zone through quick procedures that achieve an economic return through integrated activities that include the implementation of a handicraft complex and a tourist attraction resort.
Heiba: The project aims to create an attraction that includes tourism, service, craft and commercial activities to achieve integrated development.
Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister, started this morning a tour to a number of projects in Giza Governorate. The PM started the tour by checking on the progress achieved in developing the investment zone in Al-Saff, which is located within the free zone of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones. He was accompanied by Major General Hisham Amna, Minister of Local Development, Major General Ahmed Rashid, Governor of Giza, and Mr. Hossam Heiba, GAFI CEO.
During the visit of the Investment Zone, the Prime Minister listened to the explanation of Mr. Hossam Heiba about the general plan of the project of developing the Investment Zone. Dr. Mostafa Madbouly stressed the importance of maximizing the utilization of the assets in the Zone and optimizing the exploitation of its projects through the prompt procedures that achieve an economic return through integrated activities, including the establishment of a handicraft complex and a tourist attraction resort.
Mr. Heiba explained that GAFI has developed this Investment Zone on an area of 40 feddans, in Al Wadi district - Al Saf Markaz - Giza Governorate. The Zone includes 333 units, with an investment cost of about EGP 1.5 billion, and provides more than 4,500 job opportunities when operating. The green area of the project is set to reach 89,050 square meters.
GAFI CEO indicated that the project aims to exploit the Zone to become an attraction point that encompasses tourism, service, craft and commercial activities. The Zone is the first of its kind in Giza governorate, which contributes to the achievement of the integrated development and the provision of job opportunities for the surrounding residential communities. Such takes place with the help of companies experienced in managing, operating and maintaining the Zone and promoting it.
Mr. Heiba explained that in order to achieve such goal, the Zone was established as per a unique architectural style, inside which there is "Sornaga's" (a foreigner) villa, which dates back to 1940. The Zone's location on the banks of the Nile was utilized, by establishing a Nile marina in the Zone that allows movement from and to the Zone. The Zone is 65 km south of Cairo on Cairo-Upper Egypt Road.
The Prime Minister inspected a number of the project's components, which are represented in one of the workshop in the Investment Zone, as well as the ancient three-floor Sornaga's Villa, which is built on a surface area of 800 square meters, which the Prime Minister followed up on the renovation and restoration work that the Villa has undergone.
Moreover, Madbouly visited the Nile marina, which is built on a surface area of 230 m2. It is built for transporting to and from the Zone through the river waterway, as it was previously used to transport handicraft products in the area. In addition, a school for Arts is built with a unique architectural style on a surface area of 650 m2, consisting of a ground floor directly overlooking the Nile. The project also includes a workshops complex, a showground, a building for crafts, an entrepreneurship building, gardens and walkways, kids areas, a cultural center for women, parking, restaurants and lounges, and a number of various services, in addition to a conference hall built on a surface area of 1300 m2, consisting of two floors with 5 meeting rooms.
During the tour, Mr. Hossam Heiba explained that the project aims to benefit from the distinctiveness of Giza Governorate in handicrafts and traditional industries inherited by many generations, especially in the villages of Kerdasa and Al Haraneyah, as well as the abundance of skilled labour, and the existence of many tourist destinations in Giza, which help in marketing these products.
On the sidelines of the visit, GAFI CEO emphasized that the investment zones framework is one of the investment frameworks that are based on integrated development in various fields, to include industrial, commercial, service, logistical and other activities, by providing lands and units with full utilities, through specialized developers to achieve integrated development in various fields. All approvals, licenses and permits needed by investors within such zones are obtained from one administrative authority, which is GAFI, with facilitated procedures. GAFI CEO explained that there are 16 investment zones in various governorates of the Republic, with an investment volume exceeding EGP 33 billion. Such zones include 1280 projects, and provide more than 86 thousand job opportunities.
