AviationGhana - 13 Nov. 2020

NOVEMBER 13-14, 2020 | AVIATIONGHANA.COM

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Calls for more domestic airlines increase Charles Hanson Adu Appointed Vice Chairman of World Safety and Technical Standing Committee PAGE 03

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High taxes and charges hinder aviation recovery—AFRAA

BY NATASHA APPIAH

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perational challenges such as high taxes and charges are hindering the recovery and sustainability of airlines in this COVID-19 era and require immediate attention, Mr. Abdérahmane Berthé, African Airlines Association (AFRAA) Secretary General has said. African aviation is not expected to return to pre-COVID-19 levels until late 2023. The International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) has predicted that African aviation’s recovery will be weaker than expected and reach just 30% of 2019 levels PAGE 02

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Calls for more domestic airlines increase

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BY DOMINICK ANDOH

he increasing demand for domestic air travel, brought on by the need for safe, less crowded, efficient means of transport and increased political activity, has led to calls for more domestic airlines.

The inactivity of Unity Air since the resumption of domestic flight operations post-COVID-19 lockdown on May 1, 2020, has also meant limited available seats for the domestic market.

The indigenous airline became the first casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It has been inactive since the resumption of domestic flight operations and doesn’t seem ready to restart operations.

The procurement process for the acquisition of two Embraer 145’s for the airline to augment its single aircraft was also aborted after the current pandemic derailed its projections.

“We were in the process of acquiring two Embraer 145’s, but due to the COVID-19, everything has been put on hold for now,” a source close to the aborted deal told AviationGhana .

Though PassionAir and Africa

World Airlines (AWA) have increased frequency in response to demand, the lack of more travelling options by air incountry has led to a significant increase in airfares.

An Accra-Tamale return flight now costs about GHC 950; Accra-Kumasi And Accra-Takoradi return flights now cost between GHC 800 and GHC 900.

PassionAir and AWA, for instance, operate 20 flights per day between Accra and Kumasi—the busiest domestic route.

However, some travellers that spoke to AviationGhana say they were unable to secure seats to Kumasi and Tamale respectively on either airline last Friday and Tuesday respectively.

Industry data show that in 2019, a total of 16,499 people travelled by air domestically.

Attempts At Reviving Defunct Domestic airlines The aviation industry regulator, Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), has held meetings with management of dormant airlines to ascertain the challenges and support they require to

restart operations.

Though there are 13 Ghanaian valid Air Operators Certificate (AOC) holders – which allows them to operate domestic and regional passenger and cargo flights – as at March 2018, only seven are active.

A further eight airlines which hold valid Air Carrier Licences (ACL) are working with the regulator toward attaining an AOC to enable them start their operations. However, some have stalled the process by their inability to meet stringent regulatory requirements.

The need for such a meeting became imperative given the growing investment in on ground airport infrastructure, but there are not enough active airlines to serve the growing domestic and regional aviation market.

The airports operator, Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), has invested about US$400million in constructing a new airport at Ho, rehabilitating the Wa aerodrome, and the construction of a new Terminal, Terminal 3, at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).

The regulator has also spent significant sums in the acquisition of navigational

equipment for the Ho, Wa, Tamale and Kumasi airports in recent times.

The demise of local airlines Antrak Air and City Link led the growth of domestic air travel in the country more than a decade ago. They were later joined by Fly 540, Starbow and Africa World Airlines (AWA).

A combination of managerial fragilities, difficult operating environment, lack of financial muscle in a cash-intensive industry, and poor equipment choice are but a few of the challenges that brought most of the domestic operators to their knees.

City Link suspended operations five years ago due to various reasons.

Fly 540 – a part of African Airline Group, FASTJET – also in May 2014 suspended all operations, saying: “The Company intends to fully focus on the considerable potential of opportunities in East and Southern Africa, and this legacy 540 operation is not, therefore, part of the core low-cost FASTJET model”.

High taxes and charges hinder aviation recovery—AFRAA

BY NATASHA APPIAH

In absolute numbers, the region is expected to see around 45 million travelers in 2020 rising to 70 million travelers in 2021. A full return to 2019 levels (155 million travelers) is not expected until late 2023.

Though domestic and intra-Africa travel are expected to lead the revival, Mr. Berthé noted that this revival process can be facilitated with the review of the high taxes and charges prevalent in many markets across the continent.

“This is a pivotal moment in our history as we aim to reposition the African air transport market towards recovery and sustainability. Now more than ever, operational challenges faced

by African Airlines have to be prioritised and addressed, especially the high taxes and charges that hinder the growth and recovery of carriers on the continent.

“On our part as AFRAA, we tackled the crisis by resolutely pivoting our strategic and tactical resources to support recovery efforts. We have launched an interactive capacity sharing portal to provide access to marketleading services to African airlines, and developed a recovery plan revolving around 9 pillars of interest to the sector and a comprehensive strategic plan that is geared towards helping the industry meet its aspirations,” Mr. Berthé said at the 52nd Annual General Assembly of AFRAA. The AGA, which was hosted by TAAG Angola Airlines, was held in virtual

format under the theme: “Redefining Air Transport for a New Era”.

Mr. Ricardo de Abreu, the Transport Minister of the Republic of Angola said: “We are conscious of the enabling role that aviation plays in facilitating trade and growing our economies. As we collectively navigate these times, we will seek to emerge from this pandemic more resilient, organised and determined to succeed.”

During the Assembly, key stakeholders emphasized the importance of coordinated efforts and a collaborative approach as a way to secure business continuity.

An appeal was made to governments and development financial institutions to continue supporting the industry as a means to secure the continent’s social and economic recovery given the sector’s strategic contribution to national GDP. TAAG Angola Chief Executive Officer Mr. Rui Carreira said: “Our strategic deliberations at this 52nd AGA have set the foundation for the recovery and successful restart of our industry.

“Although we foresee a slow recovery, we are currently implementing key measures that will restore passenger confidence and optimize our operations for a more affordable and successful industry.”

This year’s summit saw the expansion of AFRAA’s fraternity with two new members including: Overland Airways Limited and Syphax Airways; bringing the association’s membership to 47 African airlines.

Similarly, De Havilland Canada, PRODIGY Avia Solutions Limited and South African Tourism joined the Associations’ partnership programme which serves as a forum for industryrelated organisations to support the development of air transport in Africa.

The 52nd AFRAA AGA re-elected Mr. Rui Carreira President of the Association for the year 2021. Mr.

Desire Bantu Balazire, Chief Executive of Congo Airways was elected Chairman of the Executive Committee.

Ms. Yvonne Makolo Chief Executive of RwandAir was elected 1st Vice Chairperson of the Executive Committee while Ms. Amal Mint Maouloud, CEO of Mauritania Airlines was elected 2nd Vice Chairperson for the year 2021

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Charles Hanson Adu Appointed Vice Chairman of World Safety and Technical Standing Committee The Airport Council International (ACI) World Executive Committee on 3rd November, 2020 approved the nomination and appointment of Mr. Charles Hanson Adu, Group Executive, Airports Management of Ghana Airports Company Limited as the Vice Chairman of the World Safety and Technical Standing Committee (STSC).

The Safety & Technical Standing Committee (STSC) focuses on airport planning, design and development; airspace and airport capacity; physical characteristics of runways, taxiways and aprons, aircraft/airport compatibility issues, including the impact of new large aircraft (NLA); visual aids for navigation; future air navigation systems; airport equipment and installations; safety management; safety management, including runway and apron safety; aerodrome emergency planning; rescue

and fire-fighting; (and the removal of disabled aircraft). Its work especially relates to ICAO Annex 14 (Aerodromes).

The STSC works remotely throughout the year but holds two major meetings at least twice a year at designated locations around the world.

Prior to Mr. Charles Hanson Adu’s appointment, he previously served as Africa’s representative on the STSC. He has been part of various working groups of the STSC leading to the development of guidance documents such as: -The Emergency Preparedness and Contingency Planning Handbook -Guidance for African Airports Restart -Draft Airport Certification guide, etc.

Mr. Charles Hanson Adu is the first African to be appointed to this position.

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Ethiopian wins ‘Overall Excellence for Outstanding Crisis Leadership 2020 Award’ Ethiopian Airlines Group, the Largest Aviation Group in Africa, is pleased to announce that it has won the ‘Overall Excellence for Outstanding Crisis Leadership 2020 Award’ from Global Finance magazine.

The award recognizes companies that went above and beyond in responding to the global pandemic crisis and in assisting their customers, protecting their employees and providing critical support to society at large.

Ethiopian Group CEO Tewolde GebreMariam said: “We are glad to have won the ‘Overall Excellence for Outstanding Crisis Leadership 2020 Award’ which recognizes our distinct capabilities of successful management of multiple crises taking place simultaneously like a perfect storm. During the global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic which resulted in panic, fear and hopelessness in the industry; we have demonstrated resilience, agility and speed of decision making and special competency in fast redeployment of organizational resources to our Cargo division to airlift life-saving COVID-19 PPE and medical

supplies.”

“We have reconfigured 25 passenger airplanes for cargo only flights and we also availed the remaining passenger airplanes for repatriation of stranded people to connect with their loved ones back home. As a socially responsible

airline, we stood in solidarity with the world during the unprecedented crisis and served communities around the globe to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic challenges.

“We are ready to repeat the remarkable and globally recognised

success in leading the fast delivery of lifesaving PPE’s with similar delivery speed and professional handling during the forthcoming global distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine,” Mr. GebreMariam added.

Ethiopian is among the global airlines which played a leading role in transporting medical supplies and stranded people after COVID-19 struck.

Since the outbreak, Ethiopian operated over 360 charter cargo flights and carried medical supplies to over 80 countries besides reuniting more than 63,000 citizens of different countries through charter repatriation flights.

Ethiopian Airlines (Ethiopian) is the fastest growing Airline in Africa. In its seventy plus years of operation, Ethiopian has become one of the continent’s leading carriers, unrivalled in efficiency and operational success.

Ethiopian commands the lion’s share of the Pan-African passenger and cargo network operating the youngest and most modern fleet to 127 international passenger and cargo destinations across five continents.

IATA welcomes updated ICAO CART Guidance for international transport The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has welcomed the publication on the second edition of Take-off: Guidance for Air Travel through the COVID-19 Public Health Crisis by the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Council Aviation Recovery Task Force (CART).

The CART brings together the expertise of ICAO, public health authorities, individual member states, and industry bodies to support. Under its leadership, the first edition of the Take-off guidance was issued in June 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and provided the groundwork for the multilayered biosafety measures already implemented by the industry, such as physical distancing, the wearing of face coverings or masks, routine sanitation and disinfection, health screening, contact tracing and passenger health declaration forms.

The following three recommendations are being added to the Take-off guidance with the full support of IATA: COVID-19 Testing: With some States considering the use of testing and with the availability of improved COVID-19 testing technology, there is a need for guidance material to facilitate harmonization. This is being developed in a Manual on Testing and Cross Border Risk Management Measures and will be a key enabler of IATA’s call for systematic testing before departure for international travelers.

Public Health Corridors or Travel Bubbles: ICAO is asking States which are considering the formation of a Public Health Corridor (PHC, more commonly known as travel bubbles) to actively share information with each other to implement these in a harmonized manner. To facilitate implementation of PHCs, the ICAO Implementation Package (iPack) on establishing a PHC is available to States.

Extending regulatory alleviations till 31 March 2021: While maintaining the highest standards for safety, COVID-19 has forced the industry to temporarily adapt certain regulatory processes, especially

those related to staff qualification and training. Unless circumstances dictate otherwise, the Take-off guidance recommends that such alleviations should not be extended beyond 31 March 2021. It is essential that States consider flight crew as ‘key workers’ to benefit from PHC and are encouraged to enable access to medical and training facilities. This includes flight simulation training devices used for flight crew to maintain certifications, recency of experience and proficiency for licensed personnel.

“The public should be reassured.

The Take-off guidance will keep flying safe through this pandemic with recommendations that combine the

best advice of public health authorities such as the World Health Organization with the technical expertise of aviation regulators and operators. By addressing the need for harmonized COVID-19 testing requirements as part of a multi-layered approach, CART is also contributing to building confidence among governments to manage the risks of COVID-19 importation while removing barriers to travel such as quarantines.

The aim is to safely reconnect the world and these recommendations are moving us forward”, said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO. (Source: IATA)

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A Tech Role Model for Nigeria

By Elo Umeh

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n 2018, African start-ups were celebrating: they had raised nearly $1.2 billion in equity – a 108% increase from the previous year. And last year, Nigerian financialtechnology (fintech) companies set an even more impressive record, raising $360 million from international investors in a single month (November).

Making the most of the Nigerian tech sector’s current boom, however, will take work. The COVID-19 pandemic should be a spur to action.

Nigeria is certainly on a promising path. Already, it is Africa’s largest technology market by Internet users and mobile subscriptions, and it boasts the second-highest tech-startup density on the continent. Lagos is fast-becoming a tech hub, with more than 400 startups valued at a total of more than $2 billion.

Add to that a burgeoning population, and Nigeria is beginning to look to like India five years ago.

India has long been a leading outsourcing destination for global companies, particularly in the technology sector. But it has raised its profile significantly over the last five years, producing 19 “unicorns” (companies valued over $1 billion).

On the Global Innovation Index, India has climbed from 81st place in 2015 to 52nd last year, when it was also the world’s third most attractive investment destination for technology transactions.

This year, India’s informationtechnology and back-office sector is expected to grow 7.7%, to $191 billion.

Three key policies put the Indian

tech sector on this positive trajectory: lowering the cost of mobile data, implementing a national identification program with an open-source application program interface (API), and embracing digital payments. To secure India-style tech growth, Nigeria should pursue a similar approach.

One gigabyte of mobile data costs $0.26 in India – the lowest rate in the world – compared to $12.37 in the United States, $6.66 in the United Kingdom, and $8.53, on average, globally. Indian consumers owe their low data costs to Reliance Jio, a young telecom operator that gained a foothold by offering ultracheap 4G service. To compete, other providers had to lower their rates significantly.

In Nigeria, data rates are among the lowest in Africa, with consumers in just four countries (Mozambique, Rwanda, Egypt, and Sudan) paying less. But the African average remains nearly nine times that of Asia, despite some of the world’s fastest growth rates for mobilephone subscription and Internet penetration.

In lieu of a single player changing the competitive landscape, Nigeria’s government and private sector should share the burden of bringing down mobile-data prices. This means going beyond ordering providers to lower their rates, as the Nigerian government recently did, to liberalize and, along with private companies, boost investment in the telecoms sector.

The next step toward fostering a dynamic tech sector – and, more broadly, a digitized economy – is to create a national-identification program with an open-source API on par with

India’s Aadhaar program, which assigns Indians a unique digital ID with which they can access government benefits and financial services. India’s government released the Aadhaar API so that developers could integrate the program into their systems. Now, private companies can tap into the Aadhaar database to perform credit checks, customer verification, online payments, and more. Indians can now conduct virtually any transaction – pay rent, order a ride to work, or buy lunch – using their Aadhaar ID. To some extent, Nigeria is on the right track. In 2014, it introduced an electronic identity (e-ID) program, which offers a chip-based card to everyone with a national identification number. But its system remains highly fragmented, with 13 separate federal government agencies offering IDs. With no communication among agencies, duplicate IDs often are issued. Nigeria’s government should urgently create a single unified program similar to Aadhaar and release the API to private developers.

This would facilitate progress in the third key area: creating a cashless economy. India accelerated this process with a forceful demonetization in 2016, when the government suddenly removed 86% of the cash in circulation – a move that, though far from flawless, did drastically reduce the use of cash in the country.

It helped that the Indian government took steps to encourage all forms of digital payments, including the use of e-wallets. From October to December 2016, during demonetization, e-wallet transactions surged by 163%. Meanwhile,

private companies increased their offerings of mobile-money services. For example, the mobile operator Airtel launched banking services in 2017 to cater to its 250-million-subscriber base.

Nigeria wants to replicate India’s transition to a cashless economy, but its plan to do so by taxing cash may backfire. Instead, it should focus on promoting the use of mobile money.

Such transactions accounted for only 1.4% of Nigeria’s GDP last year, compared to 44% in Kenya. This can be blamed partly on Nigeria’s central bank, which previously limited the banking services in which mobile operators could engage, promoting instead a bank-based regulatory framework for mobile money. Fortunately, the central bank lifted these restrictions this year, allowing major telecom companies like MTN to start providing mobile-money services.

India has shown that structural reforms are essential to enable tech companies to innovate and grow.

Without cheap data, users cannot access the next great e-commerce website.

Without an open-API identification system and effective mobile-money platforms, the economy cannot go cashless. Nigeria is well positioned to apply these lessons. With the pandemic placing a premium on technologies that facilitate social distancing, it should start now.

Elo Umeh is CEO and co-founder of Terragon Group, a Nigeria-based data analytics and marketing tech company.

Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2020. www.project-syndicate.org

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Rolls-Royce to accelerate future aerospace technologies with ATI Programme A

new project led by Rolls-Royce with support from the ATI Programme will make future aerospace servicing technologies a reality.

Engineers will work on 20 technologies that will reduce disruption for airlines and lessen the environmental impact by repairing components rather than scrapping them. Other industries, such as nuclear and offshore renewables will also benefit from the project.

The technologies include: snake robots which travel inside jet engines to access complex parts, enabling repairs which are not possible with today’s tools; engine sensors which send data from the sky and makes it possible to better predict when engines need maintenance; inspection and analysis tools to inspect parts buried deep within engines while they are being repaired; and advanced automated repair technologies targeting parts which cannot currently be repaired, meaning they do not need to be scrapped.

Miniature maintenance and inspection tools as well as new repair technologies will be used on the company’s existing engines such as the Trent XWB, while engineers will explore how to repair

and maintain aerospace materials and components for future low-carbon engines, including electric technology.

They will work on inspection and repair solutions for composite fan technology, which reduces the weight of a jet engine and will be used in RollsRoyce next-generation engine design, UltraFan. The new technologies have the potential to avoid substantial amounts of CO2 every year by: increasing the time engines are available to fly, avoiding unnecessary maintenance; reducing scrappage by repairing more components, rather than replacing them; reducing the movement of people and parts by using more digital inspection techniques and key-hole surgery for engines.

Some of the technologies will have multiple uses and will benefit several other industries. For example, miniature chemical analysis tools can be used in nuclear power generation where human access is restricted. Hightech cameras and algorithms will help to identify damage on components in sectors as diverse as security and off-

shore wind turbines.

Dr. Ian Mitchell, Chief of Technology – Repair and Services, Rolls-Royce, said: “Our latest engines are quieter and cleaner than ever before, substantially reducing CO2 emissions.

This programme will take that one step further by improving how we service our engines, creating technologies which will reduce waste, avoid emissions and minimise disruption, while laying the foundations to service the gas turbine and hybrid-electric engines of the future.”

Mark Scully, Head of Technology for Advanced Systems & Propulsion, ATI, said: “Through-life services are a critical aspect of ensuring propulsion systems continue to perform efficiently and with minimum impact on the environment.

The ATI welcomes this project to the ATI Programme portfolio and are pleased to see a wealth of expertise from the supply chain and academia supporting this important development.”

Ian Campbell, Executive Chair of Innovate UK, which is the funding agency for the ATI Programme, said: “This project represents the coalescing

of aerospace innovation excellence in the UK supply chain and academia, and is the culmination of research and development to deliver technologies that place the UK at the forefront of inservice engine performance.”

Work has begun on the project – known as REINSTATE – in Derby, UK and will continue for more than three years, in conjunction with universities and SMEs including Roke Manor Research, BJR Systems, Clifton Photonics, the Manufacturing Technology Centre, the University of Nottingham, the University of Sheffield, and the University of the West of England.

The REINSTATE project is supported by the ATI Programme, a joint Government and industry investment to maintain and grow the UK’s competitive position in civil aerospace design and manufacture. The programme, delivered through a partnership between the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Innovate UK, addresses technology, capability and supply chain challenges.

Nigeria: Enhancing Osun State tourism to make it a Haven-Dep. Governor Mr Benedict Alabi, the Osun Deputy Governor, Nigeria, said the state government would continue to enhance potentials in tourism and culture sector towards economic sustainability and development.

Alabi made the remarks while declaring the open of a one day workshop on Osun Culture and Tourism Master Plan organised by Ministry of Culture and Tourism on Thursday in Osogbo.

The deputy governor said if the tourism sector could be fully developed as planned, it had the capacity to turn the state to a tourism haven, with attendant economic benefits and improved standard of living for the citizenry Alabi noted that the ongoing transformation of key sectors of the state’s economy was specifically targeted Agriculture, Mining, Tourism and Culture as areas of comparative cost advantage.

According to him, the economic

transformation initiative necessitated the Osun Economy and Investment Summit, held in the state in 2019; the move that has started yielding positive results in both foreign and local investments.

Alabi urged the management and staff of Osun Culture and Tourism to key into the vision of government in developing the sector for the economic benefit of the state.

He said, “As a state, we are so much blessed in terms of cultural endowment and other resources, which we can utilize to develop our local economy and sustainable prosperity. When this administration came on board, we identified some key sectors of economic potentials that we can develop for our economic advancement, in which tourism is one of them. It is therefore necessary for you to support our government to actualize our dreams for economic prosperity of the state through this sector”.

(Source: Newsdairy)

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Egypt: Remodeling “City Of The Dead”, improved experience

In Egypt’s “City of the Dead”, centuries-old monuments are being restored and artisanal heritage revived, turning a corner of the vast historical cemetery into a vibrant neighbourhood full of life.

Wood, leather and jewellery workshops have joined those of glassblowers and others near the 15thcentury mosque of Sultan Qaitbay, in the east of the capital Cairo.

From the Mameluke period, the celebrated structure – featured on Egypt’s one-pound notes – is surrounded by tombs, dusty alleys and informal housing.

Since 2014, a series of projects financed by the European Union has changed the face of this small section of the sprawling necropolis – home to many people who are unable to afford Cairo’s high rents.

Authorities began construction on a major road in July a short distance from the Qaitbay mosque, drawing strong criticism online for the resulting demolitions and evictions of residents of the City of the Dead. A final resting place for illustrious figures, including singer Farid Al Atrash and writer Ihsan Abdel Kouddous as well as ordinary Egyptians, the Islamic necropolis founded in the seventh century stretches over 6.5 kilometres.

“Before the projects, there was rubbish all over the streets,” said Issem Abou Rami, 57, who owns a small restaurant facing the mosque. Now, a lorry comes every day to collect it.”

Products made in the impoverished neighbourhood are now sold in elegant booths under restored stone arches – and even online.

The renovation efforts started six years ago with the refurbishment of a drinking trough for animals, and then,

the reception area of a residential complex of the sultan.

The EU contributed nearly 1 million euros ($1.1 million) towards the latest project, “The Heritage for the Living, in the ‘City of the Dead’”, which launched in 2018 and focuses on social development.

The project co-ordinator, architect Agnieszka Dobrowolska, was a linchpin to the area’s metamorphosis.

She supervised the restorations of the monuments and the renovation of the workshop and their signage, as well as designed jewellery and leather products inspired by Mameluke motifs.

“When we first came here, our main object was to conserve the monuments,” she told the Agence France-Presse.

“And we quickly realised that we cannot simply conserve the monuments, in disrespect to the people who live and work in the area,” said Ms Dobrowolska, founder of Archinos Architecture, which has worked on several conservation projects in Cairo.

Work in the ateliers was interrupted for several weeks because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but now the workshops are again up and running, with some 50 women making leather products and jewellery, all stamped with the local brand Mishka.

Aida Hassan, 45, has worked in the leather workshop for three years, and said she was happy to be earning “1,500 pounds ($96) per month – and sometimes more”.

“This project has helped improve my income,” she said, insisting she had gone on to train other women in leatherwork.

Hundreds of women and children in the neighbourhood have benefited from courses and workshops on subjects such as science and technology, English language and sports.

For the EU, the primary donor to the project – due to end in 2021 – the social elements of the programme were key,

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said Christian Berger, head of the EU delegation in Egypt.

“Our intention is to support this type of project that benefits immediately vulnerable groups and disadvantaged groups, projects that have a broader socio-economic impact,” Mr Berger said.

The neighbourhood has hosted concerts, from jazz to folk and traditional Egyptian music, and visual artists from Egypt and abroad have come to show their work.

The aim is to bring “contemporary art and culture here to enhance diversity of cultural expression [and] artistic expression, to build bridges between east and west,” said Ms Dobrowolska.

Another hope of the project in transforming the neighbourhood is to draw in tourists.

The “City of the Dead” is sometimes an object of superstition due to its status as a necropolis, and is not a usual stop on mainstream Cairo tours.

But it is the tourists who are looking for something out of the ordinary that Ms Dobrowolska said the project was counting on.

“We seek to attract tourists who are off track from the mass tourism destinations – people who might appreciate and enjoy the unique urban character of the necropolis,” she said.

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