For generations, Alamein was a city known to the world only because fate had placed it at the center of a major World War II battle. For some 75 years, it suffered the consequences of war — namely, the millions of landmines scattered across the area, which the Egyptian Armed Forces began clearing in the 1990s. Those efforts gained momentum over the past decade and ultimately paved the way for President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to inaugurate New Alamein City in March 2018 as one of Egypt’s fourth-generation cities.

The model introduced by New Alamein City has sparked a wave of comparisons. It is designed to be a year-round, livable, non-gated city presented by the government in contrast to its neighbor Marina — the gated summer retreat of the wealthy and powerful during the Mubarak era.. New Alamein is also seen as the summer counterpart to the new administrative capital, and the government adopted it as a seasonal headquarters while it is still far from being meaningfully populated — a move that has prompted questions as Egypt revisits its national mega-project priorities in recent years.

EnterpriseAM sat down with Hind Ali, Deputy Head of the New Alamein City Authority, who walked us through the current status of construction, services, and investment incentives in the city.

New Alamein has been actively courting investors to expand services for residents and visitors, and the city has now entered its second year of operations, according to Ali. Development has progressed at a rapid pace from day one, thanks to close coordination between Egyptian and international contractors and local consultancies.

A total of 18 beachfront towers have been completed, while construction is underway on another five towers as part of the second development phase. These are expected to be completed over the coming three years. The concrete structures of the initial batch are done, with finishing work nearly complete, and over 2k units have already been delivered to clients, Ali tells us.

Marketing of commercial and administrative units within the tower podiums is already underway in partnership with City Edge, as the city works to promote the service and retail components of the project to potential investors, she adds.

The long-term plan is to grow New Alamein’s permanent population to 1.6 mn residents by 2052, based on unit delivery projections and average occupancy rates. The city has already handed over 3k units in the mid-income Sakan Misr project alone — translating to roughly 13-15k year-round residents based on an average household size of four — not including units in the towers, Latin Quarter, or Downtown area.

Administrative housing has also been made available for city authority staff, with three buildings in Sakan Misr allocated to accommodate employees and their families, Ali notes.

The city’s hospitality capacity is expanding. The Rixos Hotel is already operational, and a second hotel is being built in the fifth beachfront tower. Properties located on the southern side of the coastal road, including Rhactus, are also serving New Alamein visitors. A boutique hotel in the Heritage City is set to open soon, likely as a five-star property and a hotel is currently being furnished in North Square, the city’s entertainment hub.

The education sector is taking shape, with Alamein International University already operational and a public school now running under the Education Buildings Authority. Land has also been allocated for two private international schools — one by Manarat El Salem and another by a leading education provider in Egypt — both are in the licensing phase and located near mid-income residential zones in the southern district.

New Alamein’s 5.5k-feddan industrial zone in the south has seen major allocations. Industrial Development Group (IDG) is acting as master developer and has already launched three factories. Additional activity — including glass manufacturing and other light industries — is in the pipeline, with all projects subject to environmental permitting prior to construction.

Water needs are being met through a desalination plant that supplies the entire beachfront area at a capacity of 150k cubic meters per day. No service disruptions or complaints have been reported so far, Ali says. A second facility is also in the works. Authorities have received three or four bids and will soon launch a limited tender. The second plant is expected to have a daily capacity of 100k cubic meters, which should cover the city’s growing needs in the medium term.

A hospital in the C4 service corridor, opposite the Arab Academy’s campus, has been allocated to the Health Ministry and is expected to begin operations soon. Investment opportunities in medical centers have also been offered in areas like Mazarine and Boulevard Street. The Saudi German Hospital Group is currently in talks to lease space in a mixed-use building in Mazarine.

Retail services are scaling up. This season saw the launch of outlets including Circle K, Ceramica Cleopatra, Gomla Market, pharmacies, restaurants, a furniture showroom, and a large coffee shop, all of which are contributing to the city’s livability.

The Business and Finance District is being developed by China’s CSCEC and modeled on the Iconic Tower in the new administrative capital. The plan includes a central tower surrounded by four residential towers and a crystal lagoon, with adjacent land plots allocated to developers who are already moving forward with construction.

The controversial EGP 1k per sqm fee imposed in some parts of the North Coast does not apply in New Alamein. Instead, the city follows NUCA’s standard real estate transfer fee structure — and is currently offering a 50% disc. on those fees until the end of September. The discount applies to all asset types, including land and units.

New Alamein was never intended to be a seasonal destination, Ali says. The city is designed to be a sustainable, year-round hub, and authorities have been focused over the past two years on building out the services and infrastructure needed to support permanent residency.

In addition to Alamein International University and the Arab Academy, two private universities are being established: Kayan University for Human Development, located directly on the coastal highway, and Misr University for Science and Technology, located in the city’s central service corridor.

The city is also being positioned as a destination for conferences and business tourism. Large-scale halls located in the Heritage City are available for major events, and the authority is coordinating with other governorates and institutions to market New Alamein as a year-round venue for exhibitions, government events, and cultural programming.

Incentives are available for investors, including flexible payment terms. Investors can acquire land by paying a down payment and deferring installments for up to four years, which allows them to focus cashflows on construction and design.

Major industrial tenants are in the pipeline. The Petrochemicals Holding Company is building a complex that will include soda ash and silicone production, as well as facilities for petroleum-based derivatives. Polish manufacturer Padma, a key IKEA supplier, has also taken land and will be developing a EUR 70 mn industrial presence. The zone’s proximity to El Hamra Port, Alamein Airport, and Wadi El Natrun positions it as the North Coast’s only industrial hub.

Alamein International Airport is just 20 km from the city center, while Borg El Arab Airport is 120 km away. Travel from Cairo by car now takes around two hours and 15 minutes, with roads in excellent condition.

The high-speed rail station is nearing completion near the Chinese-built Downtown towers. Interior finishing work is underway, and authorities are coordinating with the National Railways Authority on a launch timeline.

Land tenders are posted on NUCA’s website, and pricing is determined based on investor bids. In some cases, financial offers exceed the authority’s base valuation — in which case, the highest qualified bid is awarded the project.

To accelerate development, NUCA is partnering with private developers on revenue-sharing models, where the authority takes a cash or in-kind stake. Agreements are typically structured as 50/50 or 40/60, depending on the proposal. Cooperative housing groups — such as Smouha — are also participating, though their projects are being developed as investment-grade urban communities. Several are in the planning phase and awaiting ministerial approvals.

Tags: