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Grand Egyptian Museum Opening Delayed to 2021 Amid Covid-19 Fears

April 4, 2020
Workers clean the area next to a giant statue of the Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II in the hall of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza outside Cairo, August 2019. (Photo by Hassan Mohamed/Getty Images)

The Egyptian Presidency announced on Saturday that President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi had instructed the government to delay the inaugural activities for all major national projects until 2021, including the long-awaited opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum.

In a statement, the Presidency said that the delays are the result of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt and across the world. Apart from the Grand Egyptian Museum, the statement mentioned that the relocation of government offices to the New Administrative Capital City would also be delayed until 2021.

In the same statement, President Sisi instructed all state institutions to ensure the safety of all healthcare professionals and other workers.

Shortly after, the Egyptian president took to Facebook to share a message of solidarity with other governments and world leaders dealing with the pandemic. “This adversity has come to remind us of the importance of the spirit of cooperation and unity, and it calls for us to come together, be responsible, optimistic and patient,” the statement read.

On Saturday morning, it was announced that 15 health care workers at the National Cancer Institute had tested positive for COVID-19.

The Ministry of Health has yet to release the latest figures for Saturday 4 April, but it is expected that the number will pass 1,000 infections.

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