Interview: Chinese firm's construction in Egypt strengthens mutual economic ties: Egyptian official
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E-mail Xinhua, May 26, 2022
by Marwa Yahya
CAIRO, May 25 (Xinhua) -- The cooperation with the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) in the central business district (CBD) in Egypt's new administrative capital is "a very successful experience," said Amr Khattab, spokesperson of the Egyptian Ministry of Housing.
"The CSCEC Egypt has contributed to localizing the advanced construction technology in Egypt," Khattab said in a telephone interview with Xinhua on Tuesday.
He added that the CBD project, a role model for Egypt-China's unique partnership, has built strong relations between the Egyptian and Chinese engineers, translators, technicians, and builders.
Covering an area of approximately 505,000 square meters, the CBD project, built some 50 km east of the Egyptian capital Cairo, features 20 commercial and residential towers, including the 385-meter-high Iconic Tower, the tallest building in Africa.
"The construction work in the CBD has injected new vitality into Egypt's economic and social development," Khattab added, noting the building activities in the high-rise complex have continued uninterrupted even in hard times of enormous world challenges, including the spread of COVID-19.
A big challenge facing CSCEC was to keep the large number of workers employed in the project safe from the COVID-19, he said, noting that the company has adopted strict precautionary measures, like dividing the workers into shifts to reduce their numbers on the site.
The Chinese firm has adopted a good approach in positively administering the mega project, the housing official said, expecting the work in the CBD will be completely concluded by the end of 2023.
On Thursday, the Egyptian Ministry of Housing said the structural work of all the 20 towers in the CBD was finished.
Khattab hailed the "highly advanced and very good Chinese technology in the construction field," adding that the Egyptian companies that worked under the Chinese firm's umbrella have accomplished good results.
The Egyptian government is in advanced talks with CSCEC Egypt for reaching a cooperation formula in operating the CBD, he added.
Chinese construction technology has largely been localized and reflected positively in the construction market by taking part in mega construction projects in Egypt, according to Khattab.
The housing official also referred to CSCEC's other mega skyscrapers project in the north coast city of New Alamein that will house a 300-meter-tower and four 200-meter high-rise buildings on an area of 1.1 million square meters.
"Now, the Chinese firm is working on docking the underground beams," he said.
The commitment that China and Egypt have displayed in seeking to complete the CBD project even before the schedule affirms both sides' desire not just to protect their financial investment, but to showcase their achievement and reap dividends from the possible further expansion of economic cooperation, he said.
"Those projects promote the economic ties between the two countries in the long run," Khattab added. Enditem
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