A triad of investment zones is in the works: The General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) has requested the New Urban Communities Authority (NUCA) to allocate plots of land for the establishment of three new investment zones, GAFI head Hossam Heiba told Hapi Journal.

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The what: The zones, ranging from 150 to 200 feddans each, will include both industrial and service facilities and will bring together a range of activities, including textile industries, automotive feeder industries, and logistics services, said Heiba.

The where: GAFI has proposed about six locations, including New Alamein, for the establishment of these zones.

The when: The allocation process is expected to wrap up within two months, with marketing for the zones slated to kick off before the end of the year.

The how: The first proposed investment model would see NUCA entering the project as a developer and taking care of setting up utilities before attracting investors. The second model involves partnering with specialized developers to set up the zones. The third model would see an industrial investor set up a project that can attract a large number of complementary industries, who all would receive a mark down in land costs in exchange for setting up their own utilities at the site.

Foreign investors have already taken an interest: A Chinese industrial investor has made an offer to partner with GAFI under the third proposed investment model, while Turkish and European investors have also expressed interest in the project, Heiba said.

AND- A new batch of golden licenses in the wings? GAFI is reviewing nine applications for golden licenses in the sectors of education, industry, logistics, and tourism, Heiba said.

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