HE Evariste Ndayishimiye exploring the new administrative capital of Egypt
The Burundian Head of State His Excellency Evariste Ndayishimiye, on a three-day official visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt, took the opportunity to visit the new administrative capital under construction, in Al-Masa about fifty kilometers to the East from Cairo. Three members of the Government accompanied him in this exploration mission, namely Amb. Albert Shingiro, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation, Dr Déo-Guide Rurema, Minister of the Environment, Agriculture and Livestock, Ir Ibrahim Uwizeye, Minister of Hydraulics, Energy and Mines.
Accompanied by Dr Khaled El-Anany, Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, the President of the Republic of Burundi began with a visit to the Al-Fattah Al-Alim Mosque, inaugurated on January 6, 2019 by President Abdel Fattah al- Sisi, and Grand Imam Ahmed el-Tayeb.
Then he went to the impressive Cathedral of the Nativity inaugurated the same day by the Egyptian President in the presence of the Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria Theodore II. According to the explanation of Chaaban Dahi, Executive Director of the new Administrative Capital, it is a Coptic Orthodox Cathedral, the largest church in the Middle East. Dedicated to the birth of Jesus Christ, it is built on an area of 135,000 square meters and can contain up to 8,500 faithful. The interior length is 142 meters and the width 90 meters.