Dr. Sameh El-Hefny, Minister of Civil Aviation, took part in a seminar titled "Airport Day" at the invitation of the US Embassy in Cairo, organized by the embassy's Commercial Affairs Office, in the presence of Ambassador Herro Mustafa Garg, US Ambassador in Cairo, a number of members of the embassy's Commercial Affairs Office, and representatives of US companies specializing in aviation technology, security and air navigation.
Also attending from Egypt's civil aviation sector were Amany Metwally, Permanent Undersecretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation; Eng. Ayman Arab, Chairman of the Egyptian Holding Company for Airports and Air Navigation; and Captain Wael El-Nashar, Chairman of the Egyptian Airports Company.
In his speech, Dr. Sameh El-Hefny expressed his appreciation for the constructive cooperation between Egypt and the United States in the civil aviation sector, stressing that the event is an important platform for enhancing the exchange of international expertise and exploring new horizons of cooperation with major US companies in developing the infrastructure of Egyptian airports, supporting the achievement of Egypt's development goals.
El-Hefny added that the ministry is currently adopting an ambitious strategy aimed at transforming Egypt's airports into integrated economic hubs that help enhance regional competitiveness and attract investment, by involving the private sector in operating and developing 11 major airports in cooperation with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), in line with global best practices in management and operation. He noted that the Passenger Terminal 4 project at Cairo International Airport represents an integrated model of what the ministry seeks to achieve through these partnerships, as it is one of the strategic projects that will bring a qualitative leap in the level of services and infrastructure at the airport and raise its capacity to 60 million passengers annually.
El-Hefny explained that Egypt's civil aviation sector is keen to integrate the latest technologies and smart services into development projects, including smart operating systems, renewable energy and modern road networks, to achieve sustainability and raise performance efficiency.
In a related context, US Ambassador Herro Mustafa stressed that strengthening economic ties and achieving shared prosperity between Egypt and the United States is one of the highest priorities of the United States. She said aviation security is a fundamental pillar of the growth of the two countries' economies, and that the Terminal 4 project represents an opportunity to take this partnership to an entirely new level.
During the seminar, Eng. Ayman Arab, Chairman of the Egyptian Holding Company for Airports and Air Navigation, presented the Passenger Terminal 4 project. The presentation covered the operational and investment aspects of the project, as well as the opportunities available to local and international partners to implement it in accordance with the highest international specifications.
Arab stressed that Terminal 4 is one of the strategic expansion projects at Cairo International Airport, as it is being planned and designed in accordance with the latest smart standards in airport operations. The project will rely on advanced systems covering air navigation, ground operations, building operations and infrastructure, with the aim of achieving high operational efficiency.
The project keeps pace with technological developments in airport operations, integrating technologies newly emerging from research and development. By offering a fully smart environment, the project is expected to provide a model for the design and operation of future airports around the world. It will also put the traveler at the heart of its priorities by minimizing human intervention and maximizing reliance on smart technologies, placing the new building among the world's most advanced passenger terminals offering exceptional services and travel experiences.
He continued that the design of commercial and service areas will be based on analyses of travelers' behavior and interests, to provide a personalized experience for each traveler that enhances operational efficiency and commercial returns.
Meanwhile, the participating US companies gave technical presentations on the latest innovative solutions in airport technology, security and project management, including Honeywell, which specializes in smart airport solutions and air navigation and aviation safety systems; Rapiscan Systems, a leader in security screening systems; and Hill International, which specializes in managing major infrastructure projects.
