Madbouly chaired a high-level meeting on Thursday to review the progress of the Warraq Island development project, as part of a sweeping effort to transform the island into a modern, integrated urban community, attended by Housing Minister Sherif El-Sherbiny and several officials from relevant entities.
A cabinet statement said the meeting aimed to assess the pace of ongoing development work to create a modern, livable urban environment on the island. It also aimed to ensure the timely and fair disbursement of compensation to eligible residents under the government’s redevelopment framework.
PM Madbouly emphasized the need to accelerate compensation payments and simplify procedures for residents to obtain alternative housing or land allocations, whether residential or agricultural, stressing that the government remains committed to protecting the rights of all families affected by the redevelopment.
Housing Minister Sherif El-Sherbiny presented an update on the construction of replacement housing units for island residents who opted to relocate within the new community.
Under the island’s master plan, 94 residential towers are being built, totalling 4,092 units.
Of these, 50 towers, comprising 2,184 units, have already been completed, with the remaining towers under construction.
The development will also feature a service centre, schools, a youth club, a commercial complex, a nursery, and a family health unit, ensuring access to comprehensive services for all residents.
The minister also reviewed progress on infrastructure and utilities, including the operation of a new electricity distribution station on 27 March, the rollout of a smart telecommunications network, and the construction of a water plant with a total capacity of 65,000 cubic meters per day (25,000 m³/day in its first phase).
The statement added that work is also underway to extend natural gas networks to serve both current and future residents across the island.
Warraq Island lies in the Nile River north of downtown Cairo, within Giza Governorate, covering around 1,400 feddans.
It is one of Egypt’s largest inhabited Nile islands, home to an estimated 60,000–90,000 residents before relocation efforts began. The island’s strategic position, between the western bank of Giza and the eastern bank of Shubra El-Kheima, has long drawn attention for its potential urban and environmental value.
The island’s legal status was first contested in the 1990s, when government decrees classified it as a “natural reserve” and state property, sparking tension over private ownership claims. For decades, the area suffered from informal construction, inadequate sanitation, and poor access to basic services.
In 2017, the government announced a comprehensive redevelopment plan for Warraq Island as part of Egypt’s broader drive to modernize urban areas and eliminate unsafe housing zones. The project falls under the supervision of the New Urban Communities Authority (NUCA) at the Ministry of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities.
Warraq Island’s redevelopment aligns with Egypt’s national strategy to reclaim and optimize Nile riverfront land, reduce informal housing, and integrate prime river islands into the modern urban fabric.
It is also seen as part of the government’s broader “Decent Life” and urban regeneration initiatives, which aim to balance social welfare with sustainable city planning.
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