“There are worrying precedents to Egypt’s plan for a new megacity,” the Financial Times suggests in an opinion piece. Giving priority to the new administrative capital project while Egypt grapples with a host of economic and social problems — such as the militant insurgency in northern Sinai and rising costs and inflation — “might look like an attempt to bury heads in the sand,” the piece suggests, noting that new capitals such as Canberra and Brasilia might be “well-established,” but “the question remains whether people want to live there.” Egypt would do well to learn from other countries that have walked the same path, including Australia, Turkey, Brazil, Kazakhstan, and Myanmar.

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