Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi on Friday inspected development work in Cairo’s Ezbet El-Haggana that aims to alleviate the suffering of around 3 million people in the slum district, according to a statement.

His spokesman Bassam Rady said El-Sisi inspected the development of the area, located on the Suez road at the 4.5 kilometre mark.

The work is being carried out by the military's National Company for Road Building and Development.

It includes building a parking area for public transportation and other vehicles, commercial stores, and leisure and sports areas to serve the youth of the area.

El-Sisi ordered the resurfacing of surrounding pavements to facilitate movement for citizens in the area, Rady added.

The phenomena of slums first came to public attention in Egypt in 2008 following the collapse of a rock face in Moqattam in Cairo, leading to the deaths of dozens of people in the Doueyka slum area.

Slums constitute around 40 percent of urban areas around Egypt, according to official figures.

Egypt plans to eradicate slums by 2030 and has inaugurated a number of new residential complexes to house citizens living in these areas in recent years.

https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/363085.aspx