A snap shot of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi attending the review of state agencies' capabilities to respond to crises and disasters. Photo courtesy of Egyptian National Media Authority
The review showcases the preparedness of various state bodies to coordinate emergency response efforts and manage major crises and disasters.
It comes as Egypt formally brings into operation the Armed Forces’ Strategic Command Headquarters in the New Capital, a vast command-and-control complex that El-Sisi inaugurated on Saturday.
The headquarters, also known as the Octagon, is Egypt's largest strategic command facility and forms a key part of the state's efforts to modernize its military, administrative, and crisis management capabilities.
Beyond its role as the new headquarters of the Armed Forces, the complex is designed to serve as a central hub for coordination between the military, ministries, governorates, government agencies, and other state institutions through secure communications and information networks.
The facility consists of eight interconnected main buildings representing the Armed Forces’ branches and strategic departments, with two central structures dedicated to the political leadership.
At its centre is a Central Command Building intended to ensure the rapid flow of information and coordination of command decisions.
The headquarters covers around 22,000 feddans, or about 92 square kilometres, in the New Capital and is divided into 13 integrated strategic and logistical zones.
It includes cloud data centres, independent energy stations, advanced water and cooling systems, and residential facilities designed to sustain operations during exceptional circumstances.
The complex is equipped with advanced command-and-control systems, encrypted communications, high-speed fibre-optic networks, cybersecurity systems, and AI-supported data analysis tools to help decision-makers receive, process, and act on information in real time.
It also includes underground data and communications centres, satellite-supported intelligence and reconnaissance capabilities, and protective engineering intended to withstand explosions and potential aerial attacks.
The headquarters forms part of Egypt’s broader relocation of key sovereign and government institutions to the New Capital.
Egypt has also moved in recent months to strengthen institutional crisis-response mechanisms beyond the new headquarters.
In June, Egypt and the European Union signed a crisis management arrangement to strengthen disaster preparedness, information sharing, early warning systems, and emergency coordination.
The agreement highlighted the role of Egypt’s National Committee for Crisis Management and Disaster Risk Reduction, which operates across all 27 governorates.
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