Madbouly: All the ministries are working together 

Sobhy: Egypt is ready to host AFCON

Talaat: All stadiums are connected with fiber cables for broadcasting 

Ministry of Health: 3 languages hotline for the emergencies 

Prime Minister Dr. Moustafa Madbouly headed meeting with the supreme organizing committee of AFCON Championship, scheduled to be hosted by Egypt in June, to follow up the arrangements and preparations required by the various ministries and agencies before the championship.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr. Mohamed Shaker, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, Dr. Rania El-Mashat, Minister of Tourism, Dr. Mohamed Moait, Minister of Finance, Major General Mahmoud Sharawi, Minister of Local Development, Dr. Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Makram Mohamed Ahmed, Chairman of the Supreme Council for Media Regulation, Hussein Zain, President of the National Media Authority, Diaa Rashwan, head of State Information System and representatives of a number of different institutions.

The Prime Minister pointed out that organizing the championship is a very important one that helps in the good marketing of Egypt, especially as it coincides with Egypt taking over the presidency of the African Union.

Dr. Mustafa Madbouli added that it is important to restore the momentum associated with these championships, referring to the strong public attendance during the championships organized by Egypt, pointing out that there are many committees working on this file, including the executive committee and the organizing committee, headed by the Egyptian president of Football Federation. Pointing out that the aim of the supreme Committee is to coordinate between the ministries and the various parties, as well as manage the economic aspects and indirect revenues of the championship, whether with regard to the tourism revenue, or the promotion and marketing in general.

The Prime Minister said that organizing such championships, in general, is an opportunity for governorates hosting the games to develop the areas where the stadiums are located and raise their efficiency. 

Assuring the importance of working as a team, and the need to coordinate between the different parties.

Madbouly instructed the Ministry of Tourism to prepare tourism programs for the audience and various delegations to visit the touristic places and monuments, especially the coastal cities, as the championship is scheduled to be hosted during the summer season.

He also instructed The Minister of communication and information technology to prepare the necessary coverage at the highest level, both in the field of communications or the Internet, and work on increasing the speed of the Internet in the stadiums surroundings.

The Prime Minister also stressed the need to provide the necessary health services, and to be prepared for any patients or injuries in the stadiums, also called for the presence of the largest possible number of ambulances.

He also stressed on the necessary of security readiness and organizing the process of entry and exit, he also directed to expedite the issuance of visas for sports delegations, in coordination between the Ministries of and Interior Foreign Affairs.

Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, Minister of Youth and Sports, presented the estimated budget items of the African Cup of Nations Championship, which included the cost and revenues of radio broadcasting, the cost of preparing the stadiums and the revenues expected from them, as well as the expected direct and indirect revenues.

He also referred to the proposed organizational structure to oversee the organization of the championship, which includes the Higher Committee headed by Dr. Moustafa Madbouly, the Prime Minister, to be Dr. Ashraf Sobhy Minister of Youth and sports the Rapporteur of the Higher Committee. The organizational structure also included the organizing committee headed by Eng. Hani Abu Reddah.

Dr. Ashraf Sobhy pointed out that the committee chairmen are responsible for the establishment of executive and temporal programs for the work of the committees and defining their competencies, the periodic follow-up of the committees' work and overcoming the difficulties and presenting periodical reports to the championship manager.

The Minister of Youth and Sports also reviewed the Ministry's exerted efforts to develop the Egyptian stadiums before the championship, such as Cairo International Stadium, Port Said Stadium, Suez Stadium, Alexandria Stadium, Ismailia Stadium and El-Salam Stadium. In addition to the proposed ticketing system for the Championship which was also reviewed.

The Minister reviewed the functions of the various ministries such as defense, interior, finance, investment, international cooperation, culture, local development, civil aviation, foreign affairs, planning follow-up and administrative reform, as well as the Supreme Council for Media Regulation and the National Information Authority, In order to complete the organizational process to the fullest.

Dr. Mohamed Shaker, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, pointed out that his ministry has formed work and emergency groups will be ready throughout the Championship, pointing out that the ministry officials have verified the validity of all nutrients and distribution boards.

Dr. Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, pointed out that all stadiums were connected to fiber cables to ensure the quality and effectiveness of the internet speed, and that they are connection the only left stadium which is Suez Stadium, pointing out that they are coordinating to make the television broadcasting also with fiber cables.

Talaat explained that the Ministry of Communications is working to improve and intensify the coverage of voice services.

Hussein Zain, head of The National Media Authority, said that the Authority is working on a number of files, including "the digital broadcasting", which is expected to make a very large shift, and the second file is “production and transportation”. And that they are contracting to purchase the required external radio vehicles.

As for the Ministry of Health preparation, the ministry officials pointed out that an emergency plan was developed for the championship, from the arrival of the teams and delegations, pointing out that there will be a hotline and a call center available in 3 languages: Arabic, English and French.

There will be specialized vehicles to deal with any dangerous situations, also a stadiums plan based on FIFA's international standards, as well as providing various ambulance teams, in addition to a medical point in each stadium equipped with the highest level and ambulances in the accommodation of the players and participating delegations. Also a number of hospitals have been equipped to receive any emergencies.  

Major General Mahmoud Sharawi, Minister of Local Development, reviewed a report about the preparations of the five governorates: Cairo, Alexandria, Suez, Ismailia and Port Said, which will host the 2019 African Cup of Nations.

The Minister of Local Development pointed out that 5 committees have been formed to pass on the governorates hosting the championship events to review the preparations in the sports, health and hotels facilities, main areas and streets, public utilities, fire and traffic services, public squares, Display screens, entertainment, marketing and cultural activities and visual monitoring.

As for the sports facilities, Sharawi explained that the stadiums  hosting the championship in the five governorates are being developed. As for the health facilities, 23 hospitals have been defined in Cairo equipped to receive emergency cases during the championship, 2 hospitals in Suez Governorate and all Port Said hospitals will be ready, especially that these hospitals are being developed in preparation for the execution of the comprehensive health insurance system.

The Minister of Local Development pointed to the readiness of the hotels in the five governorates to receive the delegations, where there are many hotels in Cairo, and in Alexandria there are 5 and 3 star hotels, there are also two hotels ready to host the championship in Suez, and 5 hotels in Ismailia, there is also a 5 star hotel in Port Said in addition to 6 touristic villages.

They also reviewed the readiness of the main roads in the five governorates, and the public facilities position from drinking water, sanitation, fire and traffic.