Egypt's PM hails Chinese company's construction of giant business tower in new capital city

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly (2nd R) speaks during an interview at the construction site in Egypt's under-construction new administrative capital city, about 45 km east of Cairo, Egypt, on Feb. 25, 2019. Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly hailed on Monday the progress made by China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) in the construction of "Iconic Tower" as part of the Central Business District (CBD) project in Egypt's under-construction new administrative capital city. (Xinhua/Wu Huiwo)

CAIRO, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly hailed on Monday the progress made by China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) in the construction of "Iconic Tower" as part of the Central Business District (CBD) project in Egypt's under-construction new administrative capital city, about 45 km east of Cairo.

"This architectural project is by all means a miracle. The Chinese firm carrying out this project is considered the largest construction corporation in the world, and it cooperates with a number of Egyptian companies to build the tallest tower in Africa," Madbouly told reporters at the few-meter-high observation deck overlooking the construction site.

The Egyptian prime minister's remarks came as he witnessed the mass concrete pouring at the Iconic Tower construction site, where tens of Egyptian and Chinese engineers, technicians and workers started the 72-hour-long non-stop process of pouring 18,500 cubic meters of concrete to get a five-meter-thick concrete base for the giant tower.

"It's a wonderful project that will be a landmark in all Egypt and a symbol for modern Egypt," Madbouly, who was accompanied by Housing Minister Assem el-Gazzar, added.

The tower is one of 20 towers and skyscrapers being constructed by the Chinese group as part of the CBD project, whose 3-billion-dollar contract was signed in October 2017 between CSCEC and the Egyptian housing ministry.

Chang Weicai, general manager of CSCEC Egypt, pointed out that the CBD is "the largest project under construction by Chinese enterprises in Egypt, which has important influence in both China and Egypt."

Being erected on an area of 3,600 square meters, the Iconic Tower is planned to be 385.8 meters high, with 80 floors including two ground ones, while the total area of the whole building after completion will be about 262,000 square meters.

The construction site has eight mixing stations, 12 concrete production lines and 128 concrete mixing trucks working round the clock to guarantee efficient and non-stop bottom slab casting for full three days for the concrete base of the massive tower.

"The project's total duration is 45 months. We have been working for nine months now and still have 36 months to finish the project," Ahmed al-Banna, the project manager, told Xinhua at the Iconic Tower construction site.