Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and his Jordanian counterpart, Bishr Al-Khasawneh, made a visit to Downtown Cairo to inspect the ongoing development works at Tahrir square.

Madbouly explained to Al-Khasawneh details surrounding the project, which will extend to sites in and around the square like Omar Makram Mosque, the Mogamma government building, the Egyptian Museum, the historic building that formerly housed the foreign ministry, and the newly established Tahrir parking garage.

Madbouly said the ongoing development, part of a greater development scheme for historic Cairo, is expected to restore the 150-year-old square to its former glory, adding that it will become a civilised facade symbolising the spirit of ongoing development in the old capital.

The inspection came after a joint meeting between the prime ministers of the two countries, in the presence of a number of ministers, to discuss ways to help strengthen relations between Egypt and Jordan to encourage joint industrialisation and commercial exchange.

Madbouly said the project will involve painting the facades of buildings, planting trees to create green spaces, and decorating the entire square with pure light LEDs to create a festive atmosphere.

The square is already home to a 17-metre obelisk that weighs 90 tons, dating back to the reign of the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses II, and four ram-headed sphinx statues from Luxor’s Karnak Temple, turning it into an open-air museum commemorating Egyptian history and celebrating pharaonic heritage.

The project is funded by the Ministry of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities in coordination with Cairo and the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities as part of the plan to showcase Egypt’s civilisation.