Great expectations

Leaving the ancient relics aside, Reem Nafie looks at Egypt's high-tech infrastructure and explores the nation's future plans

In terms of essential infrastructure, Egypt is not only ready, but also constantly developing the best possible groundwork to host the 2010 World Cup.

With more than 130,000 hotel rooms, the country is already well equipped to host not just the participants, but the influx of visitors as well. The hotel capacity in Egypt almost doubled between 1990 and 2001. The growth is indicative of the nation's focus on tourism, and is symbolic of the international popularity of the country.

World Cup attendees will have a wide choice of four- or five-star hotels in every venue. Floating hotels in Cairo, yachts in Alexandria, Port Said, Suez and Ismailia will also be available. These luxury facilities are the most prestigious in the nation -- equipped with conference rooms, telecommunications services and offering international standards of quality and service.

Transportation to and from the various Egyptian cities should not be a problem either. Every mode of transportation is available to meet the full range of human, commercial, economic and national needs, with various government bodies managing this eclectic modern mix.

The Ministry of Transport (MOT) is the body concerned with inter-city networks and maritime transport. MOT future plans give more attention to developing services, extending the network of roads and railways, and extending the Nile navigable canal. The current five-year plan (2002-2007) includes various projects to increase capacity and use new technologies in transport networks, modes and ports. Today the MOT is executing its policies to concentrate on improving safety, developing services, promoting private sector investment and the completion of on-going projects.

Egypt has an extensive and well-developed air transport network including both domestic and international nodes serving domestic, business and international travellers. Cairo International Airport, with its two international terminals, will be the main hub during the World Cup, receiving thousands of travellers every day. The travel time from Cairo International Airport to any airport in Egypt is no longer than an hour, and tickets are reasonably priced.

Plans to improve aviation include a new Terminal Building with an annual capacity of 11 million passengers, thus increasing the total annual capacity of Cairo International Airport to 20 million passengers.

Traveling by rail is also both cheap and convenient. The MOT expects to develop railway services by increasing train speeds, as well as the rail lines' efficiency and safety standards.

There is absolutely no shortage of automotive facilities as well, with the country boasting approximately 45,500 km of primary roads. There are two arterial axes providing East-West routes across Egypt, one on the west side of the Nile and one on the east. Both provide international connections to neighbouring countries. There are 26 bridges over the Nile, six flyover bridges on the road network and 107 movable and 991 fixed bridges over waterways. There is an ongoing programme of construction of new bridges connecting the banks of the Nile. There is also a suspension bridge crossing the Suez Canal at Ismailia to connect the Delta with the Sinai Peninsula. Future plans aim to achieve the establishment of road networks to the latest technical specifications to guarantee safety and security, doubling the number of high-density single-lane roads, constructing new bridges connecting the Nile banks and flyover bridges to help improve traffic at crossroads. Providing maintenance to raise the technical efficiency of roads is also an important element of the government's plan.

As for power, the government plans to alert the National Energy Control Centres to increase the spinning reserve to its maximum during the World Cup, using a double 220KV network source to supply the venues for the games. Mobile generators will work as a main source and the two network sources will work as a back up.

It comes as a surprise to some visitors that Egypt's infrastructure is so advanced -- the perfect juxtaposition of old and new merging unnoticed amidst the desert, Nile and sea. From the desert one morning, to the cosmopolitan city by noon, and onto an island in the middle of the Red Sea by night, Egypt's advanced infrastructure turns dreams into reality every day.