Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities Engineer Sherif El-Sherbiny presented the strategy, outlining the area's significance as an integrated, sustainable, and smart-planned tourist city.
The strategic importance of West Ras El Hekma includes a
prime coastal location on the Mediterranean and the International Coastal Road,
boosting the development of the Northwest Coast, supporting Mediterranean
maritime corridors via tourist ports, and positioning the area as a regional
hub connecting Europe and Africa, targeting global real estate and tourism
investment, promoting diverse tourism patterns, and utilizing renewable energy
for urban development.
The project creates vast job opportunities for local
residents and implements low-carbon, sustainable development that preserves the
coastal and desert ecosystem.
El-Sherbiny noted the site acts as a functional extension of
the larger Ras El Hekma project, offering complementary activities. Its
proximity to Marsa Matrouh enhances integration with the regional capital and
boosts its capacity. The location is served by the existing International
Coastal Road and the planned High-Speed Rail line with a terminal station at
the site, bolstering logistical links.
The proposed vision is to establish a safe, green, and
sustainable coastal destination combining beach appeal with tourism, cultural,
recreational, residential, and regional services, alongside industrial and
logistical activities.
During the meeting, the Minister also discussed the plan to resettle existing entities within the development zone. This includes negotiating compensation and providing alternative sites to facilitate the comprehensive urban and development planning required to align with Egypt’s Sustainable Development Strategy and Vision 2030.