Egypt is moving to raise the economic return on one of its largest conference assets, with China studying a major upgrade of the Cairo International Conference Center (CICC) nearly four decades after helping build the venue.
The Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade, the Egypt Expo & Convention Authority and the China International Development Cooperation Agency signed minutes of discussions on September 21 covering a feasibility study for the redevelopment.
The proposed works target about 58,000 square metres of buildings within the centre’s 185,000-square-metre site. Plans include upgrading conference halls, infrastructure and engineering systems, replacing all 25 elevators, and developing outdoor exhibition areas, landscaping and public facilities. The centre’s three principal halls seat 2,500, 800 and 600 people.
The project is intended to improve utilisation of an existing state-owned events platform as Egypt seeks a larger share of international exhibitions, business conferences and investment-related gatherings rather than financing an entirely new venue.
The centre opened in 1989 as a Chinese-aided project designed and built with Chinese participation, returning China to an asset it helped deliver almost four decades ago.
China’s current role covers the feasibility study and technical assessment through CIDCA. Subject to final approval, the Chinese side is expected to prepare detailed designs, carry out agreed rehabilitation works, supply equipment and provide two years of post-completion technical support, including training, experts, supplies and spare parts.
Final project value, financing structure and implementation responsibilities remain subject to agreement. The economic case rests on raising the productivity of infrastructure already in place: higher utilisation and larger, higher-value events could increase revenue from the asset while avoiding the substantially greater capital requirements of developing a new conference complex from scratch.
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