Cairo, Egypt | To Launch the “Greening Cairo”, an Urban Development Program to Convert Abandoned Spaces into Parks and Green Areas

Cairo, Egypt’s capital and largest centre, a vibrant metropolis with a rich cultural and historic heritage,  where ancient pharaonic wonders, medieval Islamic architecture and a sprawling modern urban landscapes collide, the largest city in the Arab world, serving as a bustling cultural hub, will launch the “Greening Cairo”, a new, ambitious urban development program designed to convert abandoned and underutilized spaces in the city into landscaped public parks and green areas. 

As reported by Daily News Egypt, the initiative is part of a broader strategy to dramatically improve urban liveability, reduce the urban heat island effect, increase the city’s green space per capita in one of the largest metropolitan centres in the region of North Africa/ Middle East, and strengthen Cairo’s attractiveness as a global cultural and tourist destination.  

The plan aligns with broader national efforts, such as the “100 Million Trees” initiative, to push the city toward a circular, climate - resilient economy. 

Core Objectives and Action Plan: 

•    Repurposing Vacant Lots: Cleared spaces from ongoing historical redevelopment and heritage restoration projects are being actively converted into parks and gardened  public squares. 
•    Heritage Integration: The program targets historical districts such as Islamic and Historic Cairo to create integrated tourist routes connecting historic mosques, religious sites and and open - air cultural hubs while modernising engineering infrastructure, seeking to offer visitors a more complete experience of Egypt’s rich civilization heritage, boosting the growth of sustainable tourism.
•    Sustainable Construction: The government is incentivising sustainable urban building practices and green construction roadmaps across Greater Cairo and surrounding new urbanisations. 

The government is also leaning into local participation, complementing large - scale projects with smaller community led greening efforts and developing “Green Squares” to yield immediate microclimate improvements. 

Officials noted that ongoing efforts to restore heritage buildings, modernise surrounding infrastructure and revitalise public spaces are expected to turn downtown Cairo into a major outdoor cultural hub. The historic district will be embellished hosting a growing number of arts, cultural and community events designed to attract domestic and international visitors.

The most recent measures reflect Egypt’s broader efforts to strengthen cultural tourism, preserves heritage properties of national importance and promote sustainable urban development. As restoration projects continues, authorities hope that the renovated historic centre of Cairo will cement itself as one of the region’s top cultural and tourist destinations in the region.

Link 
https://tvbrics.com/es/news/egipto-lanza-iniciativa-para-transformar-espacios-urbanos-de-el-cairo-en-zonas-verdes/