Egypt officially inaugurated the Octagon, its vast new strategic military command headquarters in the new administrative capital, over the weekend. The 9-million-square-meter complex draws sharp criticism at home over its multibillion-dollar cost amid a severe economic crisis.
Egypt officially inaugurated the 'Octagon' on Saturday, its new strategic military command headquarters sprawling 9 million square meters in the new administrative capital east of Cairo. As The Zioneer reported, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi attended the ceremony in military uniform. The complex, including eight outer octagonal buildings representing the armed forces' branches, is larger than the Pentagon and has been praised by Cairo as a state-of-the-art national security hub. The official inauguration follows earlier reports; no further details on additional notable attendees were provided. The $3-4 billion price tag, coming as Egypt faces high inflation, a severe economic crisis, and significant foreign debt, is drawing domestic criticism over prioritizing opulent military infrastructure over urgent economic relief. The Octagon is situated in the new capital, which itself has been a costly prestige project during a period of economic hardship.
As The Zioneer first reported on Sat Jul 4 at 12:22 Jerusalem, initial accounts described the complex as larger than the US Pentagon. That same day, a second report clarified that the complex is nearly eight times the size of the Pentagon, and confirmed President Sisi inaugurated the facility in military uniform. The current report, published Sun Jul 5 at 20:46 Jerusalem, adds the precise dimensions — 9 million square meters — and the multibillion-dollar cost estimate, which has amplified domestic criticism. The cost figure has not been independently confirmed by an on-record official source.
BACKGROUND: The Octagon is the latest in a series of large-scale military infrastructure projects across the region. As The Zioneer reported on Tue Jun 30, Prime Minister Netanyahu described Hezbollah's underground headquarters as a 'Pentagon,' while separately the Finance Ministry approved a 15 billion shekel immediate transfer to Israel's defense budget on Fri Jul 3, reflecting ongoing regional military expenditure.
WHAT REMAINS OPEN: The exact cost of the Octagon has not been confirmed by Egypt's government or an independent audit. No official statement has been issued regarding the total budget allocated for the new administrative capital's military facilities.
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Source and signal
- Internal intake