In commemoration of the 52nd anniversary of the October 6, 1973 War and the winning back of the Sinai Peninsula from Israel, Egypt’s Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation (MOPEDIC) announced a package of development projects across many sectors for the Sinai. Since 2014, Egypt has transformed the Sinai from a hot bed of terrorism and smuggling to a hot bed of economic development. It has already completed 30 major development projects in the region. Since the Gaza Strip borders the Sinai, the development of the peninsula holds the possibility of economically integrating the Gaza economy. By sector the projects include:
• Hospitals are already being built in North Sinai, the Egyptian side of Rafah, as well as Nakhil, and two others are being upgraded, while in South Sinai another four hospitals are planned. In South Sinai, new facilities are planned in Abu Rudeis, Dahab, Saint Catherine, and Taba.
• In education, universities and schools are being expanded and upgraded with new buildings and new departments, especially at the East Port Said Technological University and a new University, the Salman bin Abdulaziz University is being constructed.
