The Talaat Moustafa Group (TMG) has officially introduced “The Spine,” a massive urban development project described as the first cognitive city in Egypt and the Middle East. Hisham Talaat Moustafa, the CEO and Managing Director of TMG, presented the initiative at a press conference on Saturday. The event took place at the Cabinet headquarters in the New Administrative Capital and was attended by Prime Minister Dr Mostafa Madbouly.

During the launch, Moustafa highlighted that the project relies entirely on artificial intelligence technologies. Speaking at the event, Hisham Talaat, TMG’s CEO and Managing Director, described ‘The Spine’ as an unprecedented leap in smart urban development. It is the first ‘cognitive city’ in Egypt and the Middle East to be fully reliant on artificial intelligence technologies. Designed to attract global corporations, it will place Egypt at the forefront of international investment destinations.

The financial scale of the project is significant, with investments surpassing EGP 1.4 trillion. The initiative involves a strategic partnership with the National Bank of Egypt and holds a paid up capital of EGP 69 billion. Economically, the city is expected to provide 55,000 direct jobs and another 100,000 indirect roles. It is also projected to contribute roughly 1 per cent to Egypt’s GDP while generating EGP 818 billion in tax revenues.

A key feature of the development is the Special Investment Zone (SIZ). This area will provide simplified procedures and dedicated customs frameworks to help foreign businesses set up quickly. Moustafa explained that the project embodies a comprehensive vision for building future cities and transforming them into globally competitive economic platforms. He emphasized that the goal of ‘The Spine’ was not just to create a new project, but to establish an integrated economic destination connecting capital, opportunities, technology, and human capital. This reflects a shift in urban development concepts towards building productive cities that can generate added value.

Architecturally, the project includes about 165 towers for residential, commercial and hospitality purposes. Around 70 per cent of the total area will consist of green spaces to support sustainability and reduce carbon emissions. The city will also include the first fully underground logistics network in the world. Medical services will be provided through a partnership with Houston Methodist Hospital, which is currently being built in Madinaty.

Moustafa noted that the model was developed following five years of research with international consultants from Singapore and China. He stated that the launch of this project comes amidst rapidly evolving geopolitical changes that are reshaping global economic power centres and creating fierce competition for investment, and emphasized that Egypt is moving forward steadily and confidently under the leadership of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, guided by a clear vision that prioritizes the economy and development. Finally, he emphasized that the project demonstrates strong confidence in the Egyptian economy and the capacity of the private sector to deliver significant, sustainable growth-promoting initiatives and usher in a new era of globally competitive cities.