Sisi wants all Sinai development projects to be finalized ASAP– spokesman

President Abdel Fatah El Sisi gave directives to finalize all Sinai development projects as quickly as possible, said Presidential spokesman Bassam Radi on Monday.

President Sisi gave the directives during his inauguration of the East Canal Command headquarters where the tactics of Operation Sinai 2018 are being planned.

Speaking to MBC channel’s “Happening in Egypt” program, the spokesman said Sisi’s visit to Sinai is of great significance as it comes 15 days after the Sinai operation was launched.

For six hours, the president followed up the development of the operation and inquired after the conditions of Sinai residents.

The President directed that all the 275-billion-pound development projects of Sinai would be finalized as soon as possible.

The Housing Ministry contributes 100 billion pounds to the cost of development works and the rest is funded by the Engineering Authority of the Armed Forces.

The projects cover the entire area of Sinai which totals 60,000 square kilometers, almost the same size of the populated land in the entire Egypt, the spokesman said.

This means that Egypt is building a new state in Sinai, he said.

Sisi inquired after the conditions of North Sinai residents in light of the ongoing military operations there and called for providing them with all needed basic supplies and health services.

Asked why President Sisi was wearing army fatigues during the inauguration of the command, the spokesman said this is a normal thing since he is the supreme commander of the Armed Forces.

It is normal that he would like to wear his combat uniform while standing among his sons of army men, he said. The visit mainly aimed at demonstrating support of servicemen who are defending Egypt on the front lines.

He said the delegation accompanying Sisi was in high spirits after seeing the President attired in his military fatigues. (MENA)