New Egyptian capital: China and its palace diplomacy in Africa

Chinese companies are financing and building the new Egyptian capital's massive power center. With the skyscrapers in the desert, China is gaining political influence - but Beijing and Cairo have almost always been close.

Only 45 km away from Cairo, Egypt is building a new administrative capital for its government and administration. The city has not yet a name but is already a place of superlatives.

It will be home to the largest parliament building in the Middle East, the biggest military quarter, the world’s biggest automated monorail system, a city park twice the size of central park, the largest mosques, and the site of Africa’s tallest skyscraper, the Iconic Tower, which is the continent’s new landmark, which proclaims to the world: China is in charge here.

Just a few years ago, only a few streets and a lot of sand could be seen on the satellite images of LiveEO. But since then, mighty skyscrapers have been springing up like mushrooms.