Egypt advances with the construction of an artificial river in the heart of its New Administrative Capitala city built from scratch east of Cairo.
The work, known as Green Riverappears as one of the most ambitious developments of that urban plan. From November 2025, the project of its New Administrative Capital has been officially renamed «The New Capital«(The New Capital) in all government communications.
What is most striking about this work is that will bring water, parks and green areas to a place that was dominated by arid terrain. The project proposes a succession of lakes, gardens and recreational areas where the desert previously reigned.
The objective is to build a central strip capable of ordering the landscape and giving identity to a capital that is still in formation.
Within the general plan of the city, the Green River It functions as a structural piece, a kind of landscape spine designed to connect administrative, residential and recreational sectors in the same layout.
The work is focused on New Administrative Capitalthe city that Egypt plans to move ministries, parliament, state offices and a good part of the public apparatus out of Cairo.
How big will this artificial river be in Egypt?
There, the Green River It appears as one of the clearest emblems of the project. They present it as a linear park of about 35 kilometers.
The project includes gardens, artificial lakes, clubs, walking areas, restaurants and meeting areas. The logic is to set up a complete urban infrastructure that combines water, vegetation and public space as part of the daily functioning of the city.
These artificial lakes They will function as an «axis of water and vegetation» designed to visually imitate the Nile channel in Cairo.
Where does the water come from?
Since the city is in the middle of the desert, the water for these attractions is not potable nor does it come from direct natural sources.
The water for the artificial lakes and garden irrigation comes from state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plants within the city itself, establishing a circular economy system.
In this framework, the park is not only shown as a green work, but as part of a larger system where irrigation, treatment and management of the resource are part of the same planning.
In a country crossed by water stress and dependence on the Nile, Any large-scale development needs to explain not only its visual impact, but also its material viability.
When will this project be complete?
The New Administrative Capital It is a long-term project that is being built in phases. Being a city designed for 6.5 million inhabitants, its total completion is not immediate.
Phase one of this monumental work began in 2024 and is now complete and includes the government district, parliament, the Iconic Tower and the first section of the Green River.
Phase two and three are underway and focus on the expansion of residential areas and additional business centers. The core infrastructure of these phases is expected to continue to be developed throughout the remainder of the 2020s.
In this way, it is estimated that the fourth and final phase of the project will be completed by the year 2050.
