Al Maqsad New Capital Egypt is a planned new metropolis in the Greater Cairo region of Egypt. The project was announced by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi in March 2017, and is part of the country's long-term vision to reach sustainable development and create employment opportunities across Egypt.
The new capital is being built on around 7,000 square kilometers of land, located 45 km east of Cairo and 20 km west of the Suez Canal. It sits between the cities of Cairo and Suez. The city is expected to feature an airport, universities, a financial center, and medical and industrial areas.
The new capital is set to be a hub for high-tech industry, international business, and finance, as well as a point of convergence for the many transportation networks that crisscross the region. It is being designed to be an environmentally friendly, smart city with green spaces, advanced infrastructure, and high levels of security.
The project is estimated to cost $45 billion, and it is anticipated that the majority of the funding will come from private companies and investors. Construction officially began in October 2018, and the city is expected to be completed in 2040.