The Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation extends her congratulations to H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the Egyptian Armed Forces, and the Egyptian people on the occasion of the anniversary of the October Victory.

Al-Mashat: EGP 10 billion in public investments allocated for implementing development projects in North and South Sinai under the FY 2025/2026 plan.

Near completion of the “Egypt Services Center” in Arish, which will provide an integrated model for delivering government services to citizens in North Sinai.

Since 2014, Egypt has undertaken a national endeavor to develop the Sinai Peninsula, implementing pioneering projects across agricultural, educational, road, and public service sectors to enhance the quality of life for its citizens.

Expansion of water desalination and treatment projects continues to ensure sustainable water resources for drinking and the cultivation of hundreds of thousands of feddans in North Sinai.

On the 52nd anniversary of the Glorious October Victory, Egypt’s journey of construction and development in the Sinai Peninsula continues, through implementing projects across diverse sectors to improve living standards and consolidate the foundations of development in this cherished part of the nation.

On this occasion, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, extended her congratulations to H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Republic, the Egyptian Armed Forces, and the people of Egypt on the anniversary of the October Victory.

Dr. Al-Mashat affirmed the great priority given by the Egyptian State to the development of the Sinai Peninsula. Since 2014, the State has carried out a comprehensive national effort to implement strategic and priority projects across key sectors, notably infrastructure, agriculture, water treatment and desalination, education, and tourism development.

Water Treatment Projects for Agriculture

Since H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi assumed office, Egypt has launched an ambitious program for the development of the Sinai Peninsula, implementing more than 20 pioneering projects across multiple sectors. Among the most prominent of these are:

The Al-Mahsama Triple-Treatment Wastewater Plant, which treats 1 million m³/day. The project aims to reuse water from the Al-Mahsama drainage canal by transferring it east of the Suez Canal for treatment and reuse in reclaiming approximately 250 million m² (around 60,000 feddans) of agricultural land, creating 12,500 direct and 150,000 indirect job opportunities.

Another major project is the construction of a water conveyance canal (Al-Saharaa) to transfer 1 million m³/day, aimed at providing irrigation water in Ismailia Governorate to reclaim and irrigate about 60,000 feddans through a treatment plant with a capacity of 1 million m³/day.

The Bahr El-Baqar Wastewater Treatment System was also implemented to optimize Egypt’s water resources by transferring and treating wastewater with a capacity of 5 million m³/day, to be reused for reclaiming 400,000 feddans in the Sinai Peninsula.

Water Systems and Desalination Development

The Arish Water Supply System Development Project aims to upgrade the infrastructure of the city’s water network to meet population growth, minimize water loss, and provide sustainable additional water quantities to meet current shortages in five areas: El-Raysa, Karam Abu Nagila, El-Masaeed, El-Safa, and El-Khazan El-Aali — contributing to economic and social development in North Sinai.

In addition, five seawater desalination plants are being established in South Sinai Governorate (Ras Sudr, Abu Zenima, Dahab, Nuweiba, and El-Tor — locally funded), to supply water to residential clusters, support urban expansion, and meet valley communities’ needs. The total capacity will reach 80,000 m³/day, improving living standards and ensuring a permanent, reliable supply of potable water.

The East Port Said Seawater Desalination Plant, with a capacity of 150,000 m³/day, has also been launched to meet the growing demand for drinking water in the new city of East Port Said, serving residential, commercial, and industrial needs.

Public Investments in the 2025/2026 Plan

According to the Economic and Social Development Plan for FY 2025/2026, total public investments for developing North Sinai amount to approximately EGP 6.6 billion. The agriculture and land reclamation sector receives the largest share (21.7%), followed by healthcare (19.5%), and construction (17.4%), with the remainder distributed across education, electricity, sanitation, water, transportation, storage, and real estate activities.

Meanwhile, total public investments for South Sinai are estimated at around EGP 3.6 billion. The transport and storage sector receives the highest share (20.5%), followed by healthcare (18.7%), water (13.8%), and education (12.4%), in addition to allocations for agriculture, construction, electricity, sanitation, tourism, and other sectors.

Details of Projects in North Sinai

The report outlines the key development programs planned for North Sinai during the fiscal year. In agriculture and land reclamation, projects include completing the construction of a covered drainage network covering 6,300 feddans, paving canal banks, rehabilitating irrigation facilities, sluices and gates, implementing flood protection measures, drilling groundwater and surface wells to meet water needs, and establishing a research station in El-Wazah.

In the water sector, projects include renewing and upgrading drinking water plants and networks in El-Arish, Sheikh Zuwayed, Beir El-Abd, Rafah, Hasana, and Nakhl; constructing transmission pipelines from the 100,000 m³/day seawater desalination plant to supply Arish, Sheikh Zuwayed, and New Rafah (including two pumping stations and transmission lines); and building water networks for villages in Beir El-Abd.

In sanitation, works include renewing the main wastewater lift station in Arish, rehabilitating the treatment plants in East Arish (Garadah) and West Arish (Zare’a), and implementing integrated sanitation systems in Beir El-Abd, Sheikh Zuwayed, Hasana, and Nakhl (14 lift stations and 3 treatment plants with capacities of 12,000, 10,000, and 2,000 m³/day, respectively).

In health and education, projects include establishing the Faculty of Computers and Information in Arish, constructing and equipping educational and administrative buildings for the Faculty of Information Technology at East Port Said University, renewing schools in North Sinai, upgrading general and technical education facilities, and constructing classrooms for special, basic, and secondary education, including distinguished language schools.

Healthcare projects include completing the development of Arish General Hospital, upgrading complementary hospital services (gas networks, power generators, elevators, consulting works, civil defense, electrical systems), constructing new hospitals in New Rafah and Nakhl, and upgrading Sheikh Zuwayed, Baghdad, and Rommana hospitals.

Details of Projects in South Sinai

The report also reviewed key development programs in South Sinai, including in agriculture and irrigation: completing a tri-purpose research station, continuing local sugar beet seed production, land classification and assessment for national agricultural projects, and flood protection works. It also includes constructing seawater desalination plants in Dahab and Nuweiba, each with a capacity of 15,000 m³/day.

In education, projects include establishing King Salman bin Abdulaziz University, implementing competency-based education in technical schools, constructing and equipping classrooms for basic and distinguished education, and upgrading educational administrations.

In healthcare, projects include completing hospitals in Abu Rudeis, Dahab, Saint Catherine, and Taba.

For water supply, projects include renewing and upgrading water plants and networks in Abu Zenima, El-Tor, Dahab, Ras Sudr, Sharm El-Sheikh, Taba, Saint Catherine, and Abu Rudeis; constructing new desalination plants in Sharm El-Sheikh (30,000 m³/day) and Taba (10,000–15,000 m³/day), and expanding the Naqb and Nabq desalination plants (each 6,000 m³/day).

In sanitation, projects include rehabilitating sewage networks and plants across Taba, El-Tor, Sharm El-Sheikh, Dahab, Saint Catherine, Nuweiba, Abu Rudeis, Abu Zenima, and Ras Sudr; upgrading Dahab treatment plant; constructing a new wastewater project in Taba (6,000 m³/day, including a dual treatment plant, lift stations, networks, and pipelines); implementing sanitation systems in deprived areas of Dahab; and expanding El-Tor wastewater plant (from 10,000 to 30,000 m³/day).

In a related context, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat noted that, within the efforts of the Spatial Information Infrastructure Center affiliated with the Ministry to enhance public service delivery, the Egypt Services Center in Arish is nearing completion. It will be the first model government service center in North Sinai, offering over 156 services in one place — including civil registry, traffic, and real estate documentation — to facilitate access for citizens.