On 18 October 2026 Egypt launched an investment zone for Alam Al Roum, the Qatari Diar project on the North Coast in Matrouh. The ministers say the zone is meant to speed up approvals and licenses for investors in the project. Nothing announced on 18 October changes prices or contracts for home buyers. What matters more if you are buying is the timeline: the first phase is due to be delivered in 2030.
The news below was checked on 21 October 2026.
What happened on 18 October
The zone was launched by Mohamed Farid, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, and Randa El-Menshawy, Minister of Housing, with representatives of Qatari Diar present, according to Daily News Egypt. Farid said investment zones make procedures easier and speed up projects, and that investors should be able to follow applications, licenses and approvals online. El-Menshawy said the zone lets the project take in a wider range of activities, in tourism, real estate and services.
The deal behind it
Qatari Diar, the real estate arm of the Qatar Investment Authority, signed the Alam Al Roum agreement with Egypt's New Urban Communities Authority in November 2025, Ahram Online reported. Qatari Diar plans to invest $29.7 billion, of which $3.5 billion is a direct cash payment. The authority is to receive 15% of the profits.
The site covers 20.58 million square meters on the Mediterranean in Matrouh governorate. The plan includes a coastal city with homes, shops, schools and hospitals, a 7.2-kilometer sea promenade, lagoons, marinas, an 18-hole golf course and hotels with about 3,500 rooms. Ahram notes the site is close to Ras El Hekma and Marsa Matrouh airports and the coastal road.
The first phase was launched on 9 August 2026, according to a cabinet statement cited by Ahram. It covers 4 million square meters, with a 2-kilometer beach, a 50-berth marina and four hotels. Its delivery is scheduled for 2030.
What this means if you're buying on the North Coast
- The zone is for investors and the developer. Ministers presented it as a way to cut paperwork and speed up building. Nothing announced changes what a home buyer signs or pays.
- Plan around 2030. If you buy in the first phase now, you are buying a home three to four years from delivery. Check that the delivery date in your contract matches what the developer announces, and how your installments are spread up to it.
- Compare with what is nearby. In Ras El Hekma, the area around the airport Ahram mentions, WiserChat shows 3,069 homes for sale in 35 projects. The typical chalet there is 110 square meters for about EGP 15.2 million. Those homes also deliver over several years, so compare delivery dates side by side, not only prices.
- A big name does not set your price. Ask for the payment plan in writing, add up what you pay by delivery, and check the maintenance deposit. How to compare payment plans in Egypt walks through it.
For the rest of the market this year, see Egypt's property market in 2026. The Qatari Diar page lists the developer's projects we cover.
Ask Wiser about your case
Wiser, the consultant inside WiserChat, covers more than 700 projects with their prices and payment plans, and does the sums for you. Tell it your budget, the area you want, your down payment and when you need to move in, and it puts the projects that fit side by side. It is free for buyers. Ask Wiser about your own case.