{"id":677406,"date":"2025-08-06T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-06T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2025\/08\/06\/does-sahel-have-the-infrastructure-it-needs-to-transform\/"},"modified":"2025-08-06T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T00:00:00","slug":"does-sahel-have-the-infrastructure-it-needs-to-transform","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2025\/08\/06\/does-sahel-have-the-infrastructure-it-needs-to-transform\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Sahel have the infrastructure it needs to transform?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The infrastructure Sahel needs:<\/strong> When we talk about infrastructure on the North Coast, there are two interlinked \u2014 but distinct \u2014 tracks. One is the infrastructure required to accommodate a growing tourism sector in the summer season. The other is what\u2019s needed to turn Sahel into a place where people can live year-round.<\/p>\n

It starts with the small things:<\/strong> From building materials to landscaping, the basics matter, says Ahmed Ehab, CEO of Madaar<\/strong>, the developer behind Azha Ras El Hekma. \u201cWe designed Azha North with larger unit sizes to accommodate permanent living. We used durable building materials that won\u2019t saddle residents with steep annual maintenance costs, and opted for greenery that can grow year-round without guzzling water,\u201d Ehab tells us. When Madaar acquired the land for Azha, the Ras El Hekma agreement with the UAE had yet to be signed \u2014 but, Ehab says, \u201cit was clear even then that the state\u2019s master plan was to make the area livable year-round.\u201d<\/p>\n

Global-standard airports are key to scale: <\/strong>A new international airport in Ras El Hekma is essential to unlocking the region\u2019s full tourism potential. SODIC General Manager Ayman Amer<\/strong> points to the presence of four airports along the 400 km coastline \u2014 some under upgrade \u2014 as a major advantage for attracting foreign tourists and expats. Madinet Masr CEO Abdallah Sa<\/strong>llam<\/strong> adds that airports power inbound tourism the way roads power trade. For IDG CEO Shady William<\/strong>, direct connectivity to European cities is non-negotiable: \u201cTourists won\u2019t come if they need two connecting flights.\u201d<\/p>\n

City-scale infrastructure \u2014 not just resorts:<\/strong> The long-term vision for the North Coast \u2014 particularly in Alamein and Ras El Hekma \u2014 goes far beyond resorts and summer compounds. \u201cThis is a state project,\u201d Sallam tells us, emphasizing that the goal is to build a complete, livable city with full-scale infrastructure and an international airport \u2014 a goal that requires significant government backing and cannot be left to individual developers. William \u2014 whose company is developing the e2 industrial complex in New Alamein \u2014 agrees, noting that industrial zones are central to the state\u2019s vision for Alamein as a year-round city, signaling a move toward a more integrated and diversified urban fabric.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome 3.5k hotel rooms aren\u2019t enough to call it a destination,\u201d<\/strong> Madaar CEO Ehab tells us. The North Coast needs significant hotel capacity to absorb the expected rise in visitor numbers \u2014 which is why the state now requires every development to include a hospitality component. Madaar is gearing up to announce a global hotel operator that will enter Egypt for the first time to run the hotel and serviced units at its Azha Ras El Hekma project, Ehab said.<\/p>\n

Roads to unlock the hinterland:<\/strong> While the government has made major investments in the coastal road and its extensions westward toward Libya, industry insiders say the network needs to be smarter and more integrated. \u201cWe need infrastructure that activates the hinterland \u2014 the vast area south of the coastal road,\u201d William says, pointing to untapped value inland. The high-speed electric railway, he adds, is a game-changer: It would allow goods and labor to move efficiently, helping shift the North Coast from a seasonal destination to a functioning city. <\/p>\n

What\u2019s needed from the state is continued development of the road network <\/strong>\u2014 a process that\u2019s already underway in some areas, Redcon Properties<\/strong>\u2019 Tarek El Gammal<\/strong> tells us. Major developers are already equipped to provide electricity, water, and wastewater infrastructure themselves using advanced tech such as desalination and wastewater recycling, according to El Gammal.<\/p>\n

The lack of quality hospitals remains a major barrier to year-round residency<\/strong>, Sallam says, adding that the idea of long-term residency for non-Egyptians won\u2019t be feasible without the availability of high-quality medical services. We took a deep-dive into summer 2025 healthcare options on the coast in our last issue.<\/a> <\/p>\n

Desalination capacity to meet the fast-growing demand:<\/strong> The government is pushing ahead with its strategic desalination plan through 2050, which covers water needs across key service zones in the northwest coast. Among the projects in the pipeline: <\/p>\n