Egyptian Prime Minister (PM) Mostafa Madbouly has stated that UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) will provide technical support for the development projects of Historic Cairo, one of the oldest Islamic cities in the World.
During his inspection of work to develop the area surrounding the El-Ayoun stream fence (Magra El-Oyoun Fence), within the project of developing the historic Islamic Cairo area, the PM commented that the project was located on a site of almost 95 acres where the tanneries were built.
“We all know the size of the severe pollution that used to prevail in the region. We are working to end the effects of this pollution that has existed for decades, as no one has previously offered to help develop this area,” Mr. Madbouly said.
The prime minister has noted that the El-Ayoun fence is a world heritage area registered with the UNESCO World Heritage Preservation Organization. The move to expand it aims to restore the monuments.
Mr. Madbouly remarked that before development work started, the government is keen to communicate with all concerned parties, such as the Supreme Council of Antiquities and the National Authority for Civilization Coordination. Last week, UNESCO visited Egypt to evaluate the proposals suggested for the development of the region.
Mostafa Madbouly PM – Egypt
“The development processes were considered a surgical intervention carried out according to internationally recognized standards. The aim was to revive the urban essence of Historic Cairo, which reflects the historical era, taking into account the adaptive reuse of archaeological buildings and restoring unregistered heritage buildings, removing distortions in the architectural character, and providing cultural, craft, and tourism services and activities in the area, facilitating pedestrian movement and coordinating paths and streets to match the historical region.”
Furthermore, he added that the projects also targeted the social and economic restoration of the area to benefit residents directly and to grow crafts and traditional markets to increase incomes, provide employment opportunities and encourage local and foreign tourists to visit the city for cultural tourism.
