PROJECT PROFILE- The Giza Zoo revamp: The Giza Zoo has been shuttered to the public since this summer for a EGP 1.4 bn overhaul that will see it joined by the nearby Orman botanical garden and transformed into an open-range, no-cage touristic attraction. We’ve heard that the overhaul will pave the way for it to regain membership in the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which the zoo lost in 2004, ministry official Mohamed Ragaey told talk show host Lamees El Hadidi earlier this year, but how much will its infrastructure change, and what will it look like when it’s complete?

We spoke with Mohamed Kamel, chairman of Hadayieq, which is leading on the zoo project, to learn more about the overhaul and the timeline for its completion.

Refresher: The zoo has had outdated infrastructure for decades. “The zoo was established in 1891 and its entire infrastructure has become inadequate and in need of revamping … Zoo standards have changed since then and cage designs need to change to better accommodate the animals,” Ehab Saber, head of the Agriculture Ministry’s veterinary services department, told Masa’a DMC earlier this year.

Who’s involved: Mohamed Kamel’s Hadayieq was awarded a 25-year contract last year to renovate and manage the historic sites. The company is being advised — on the transaction and beyond — by a team from Beltone Investment Banking. Wildlife and ecotourism design company Bernard Harrison & Friends will serve as a technical consultant on the project, and the UAE-based Worldwide Zoo will carry out the operational work for the park.

Where’s the financing coming from? Hadayieq and Beltone are looking into offers from a number of international financial institutions to bring fresh capital into the project. It was earlier estimated to cost some EGP 1 bn, but Kamel tells us the final cost will likely be in the EGP 1.4 bn range. Hadayieq will provide EGP 200 mn in funding to the project after the company completes an EGP 100 mn capital increase, Kamel tells us. The consortium also received a EGP 832 mn long-term loan from the Chinese Development Bank and the National Bank of Egypt last week. The loan, on which Beltone was financial advisor, will go towards the development of the zoo’s infrastructure, its operations, as well as finding new species to add to the zoo and healthcare provisions for the animals, according to Kamel.

Expect a much larger, more diverse zoo: The zoo will be divided into 14 areas, up from the three areas it had previously, divided by species and the regions where they originate, including Asia, Africa, the Americas, a birds area, safari, and an elephant area, Kamel explained. It will take visitors three to four days to be able to visit all the sites and participate in the activities on offer, he added. There will also be dedicated areas for recreational activities, including an educational center for children, a recreational area, and areas dedicated to interactive experiences with the animals, he said. The construction will not impact any of the historic landmarks and archeological sites located at the zoo, Kamel also noted.

And more shelter + better conditions for animals: The development work includes improvements to the animal shelter areas at the zoo, as well as 18% more water bodies and 12% more green areas, Kamel said. Besides there being no cages planned for the zoo, there will also be relatively few buildings, so that the zoo can comply with international criteria that requires buildings to make up only 0.1% of the space in a zoo, he added.

The current state of things: Construction work on the pedestrian bridge that will connect the Orman gardens with the zoo is currently underway, alongside the restoration of the archaeological sites, Kamel said. Animals that were being medically treated are also being transported this month to the new areas at the zoo, he added. Other design projects, like recycling the old cages at the zoo to make decorative statues, are also underway.

The company is also working on regaining its international accreditation, in a bid to get it back within six months from opening the zoo in 2Q 2025, Kamel said. The company is in talks with the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Pan-African Association of Zoos and Aquariums to put things in place, he added.

Looking ahead: The company also wants to set up the recreational areas and platforms at the zoo over the next year in coordination with Discovery and National Geographic, with plans to attract investments to help equip and operate them in time for launch in 2Q 2025, Kamel said.

Your top infrastructure stories for the week:

  • Catalyst Capital Egypt invests in SCZone industrial and logistics hub: Impact investing fund Catalyst Capital Egypt has acquired a significant minority stake in a new Alex Steel subsidiary looking to develop an industrial and logistics hub in the Suez Canal Economic Zone.
  • Alstom to sign Metro Line 6 contract early next year: The Transport Ministry is finalizing the terms and conditions of its agreement with France’s Alstom to take the lead on the planned Metro Line 6, and will ink the contract in 1Q 2024.
  • TCI inks Arish cement export terminal project: Abu Dhabi Ports’ terminal operator subsidiary Transcargo International (TCI) signed an agreement with Cementir Holding subsidiary Sinai White Portland Cement to build and operate Egypt’s first silo terminal for the bulk export of white cement from Al Arish Port.
  • Taqa Arabia eyes Wataniya stations: Qalaa Holdings’ energy distribution arm Taqa Arabia will submit a binding offer to purchase an unspecified number of fuel stations from military-owned fuel retailer Wataniya.
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