The Egyptian government has formed a high-level ministerial committee to evaluate a proposal by billionaire developer Hisham Talaat Moustafa to redevelop Cairo's "ministries district" into a luxury tourism area.
The plan involves turning government buildings into hotels as part of a broader revitalization of downtown, a senior government source told Al Manassa.
Moustafa, who serves on a government advisory committee for tourism development, discussed the proposal during a meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Investment Hassan El Khatib, and Chairman of the Urban Development Fund Baher El Shaarawy.
In August 2023, a Cairo criminal court approved Moustafa’s request for rehabilitation following a 15-year prison sentence for incitement in the 2008 murder of Lebanese singer Suzanne Tamim. He was released under a presidential pardon before completing the full term.
The meeting focused on opportunities for private sector investment in the area, which includes historic government sites.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source said the plan would add around 1,300 hotel rooms to central Cairo, where several private hotels already operate near the Nile Corniche. The proposal aims to cater to a growing demand for high-end tourism in the capital.
The ministries district, located near Kasr Al-Ainy Street, includes iconic buildings such as the former Parliament, the cabinet headquarters, and the ministries of Education, Health, and Interior, as well as the Tahrir Complex and the Scientific Institute. Some of these buildings are designated heritage sites.
The government seeks to repurpose these assets following the relocation of most civil servants to the new administrative capital, a process that began in late 2021 and concluded in 2024.
"The goal is to offer an upscale tourist experience while preserving Cairo’s architectural and historical character, much like successful European models that blend heritage with modern hospitality," the source said.
In January, Prime Minister Madbouly appointed Moustafa and other prominent developers and tourism executives to a tourism advisory council, which aims to strengthen dialogue between the government and private sector on tourism policy.
The source added that the government will soon publish a prospectus outlining investment opportunities in the ministries district. The Ministry of Investment has drafted a plan for optimal use of the area's assets, which are now under the purview of the Sovereign Fund of Egypt. That plan will also be marketed to regional and international investors.
Last month, the cabinet's media center denied rumors that the redevelopment plan involves demolishing historic buildings or displacing local businesses. The government has pledged to preserve the architectural integrity and commercial activity of downtown Cairo, citing pre-existing urban planning studies.
The move to redevelop downtown follows Egypt’s multi-year effort, launched in late 2021, to relocate government offices to a new administrative capital 45 kilometers east of Cairo. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi formalized the transition in January 2024 by revoking the "public interest" designation on 13 ministry buildings, transferring ownership to the Sovereign Fund of Egypt for investment purposes.
