On Thursday, AIIB's senior officials conducted a field tour of the main landmarks of Egypt's Administrative Capital City and Cairo, including the pyramids, the great Egyptian museum, the National Museum for the Egyptian Civilisation. The tour was organized by the Finance Ministry on the sidelines of AIIB's annual meetings which will be hosted by Egypt in Sharm El-Sheikh and in Africa for the first time on Monday and Tuesday.

AIIB's delegation said "we saw in Egypt's Administrative Capital City a creative example for sustainable development and a dream we have long aspired to achieve for our projects. It is a civilized step for creating promising opportunities and future partnerships with the private sector in Egypt, especially after we saw that the Egyptian state has strong ambitions and firm insistence to achieve a group of development projects in a record time. We lived an Egyptian development experience that reflects a true will to take Egypt to a better future based on sustainable investments.

AIIB's delegation also said they lived a unique Egyptian experience marked with cultural richness and historical heritage as exemplified by the great pyramids, the Egyptian museum, and the National Museum for Egyptian Civilisation. We also saw efforts to localize technology in all development sectors to complete building this great experience.

AIIB's president Jin Liqun thanked Egypt for hosting the bank's annual meetings. He described Egypt as an important partner in development and intercontinental connectivity. He emphasised that AIIB officials were impressed by the Egyptian state's insistence to improve the quality of life for the majority of Egyptians. He said we are happy to cooperate with Egypt to reinforce partnership with the private sector and push the wheels of production forward. He indicated that he has previously visited the administrative capital when it was in a stage of construction and now it is in a stage of efficiency, development and progress.

AIIB's vice president Konstantine Limitovisky said we have already been impressed by Egypt's Administrative Capital. He indicated that construction of this city began few years ago and now it has become a new capital for Egypt in a way that reflects the size of efforts being exerted to achieve sustainable development. He said it is important that Egypt will host AIIB's annual meetings in Africa for the first time. He indicated that AIIB concluded four partnerships with Egypt and that it is now looking forward to reach new partnerships with Egypt in the future as it represents the cornerstone in North Africa and the Middle East and that Egypt can play a great role in creating bridges among continents.

AIIB's legal consultant Alberto Nino said what I saw in the administrative capital represents a progressive and impressive step because it is part of the sustainable development which AIIB supports. He said Egypt has become a development example that can build a future based on new and environment-friendly smart cities and in a way that reflects the greatness of Egypt over history.

AIIB's vice president and executive director Mohamed El-Hashmi said the Egyptian development experience as exemplified by the administrative capital reflects the great progress in all aspects of life and shows that Egypt walks on the right path. He said this creates great opportunities for joint cooperation with the private sector in Egypt, opening the door for AIIB to pump fresh investments into infrastructure sectors. He said I was really impressed by what I saw in Egypt and I think it will lead to a better future in Egypt and that I will convey this fact to all my friends and colleagues abroad.

AIIB's senior financial officer Andrew Cruz said we saw great determination in Egypt to achieve development for the future and that this was very clear in the new administrative capital which is a good and unique example of smart cities. This is to add to the great history we saw in the great museum, the National Museum for Egyptian civilization and the pyramids. This helps us to build fresh partnerships and give new roles to the private sector.

AIIB's alternate director Assaf Sherman said one of his great dreams was to visit Egypt because he is fond of history and antiquities. He said I was also impressed by what I saw in the New Administrative Capital because it represents a unique development experience. I was also amazed by what I saw in Cairo and that this reflects the ambitions and the will of the Egyptian state to join the modern age, particularly in the area of building smart cities.

AIIB's Administrative Officer Anna Buhler said I was particularly impressed by what I saw in the New Administrative Capital and the huge investments there. She said I saw many new cities around the world but I have never seen before a one like the New Administrative Capital and its great buildings, particularly the big mosque and the Islamic Center.

Finance Minister and Egypt's governor to the AIIB Mohamed Maait and Deputy Finance Minister and AIIB's board member Ahmed Kouchouk were keen to receive AIIB's president and board members on the sidelines of the tourist tour.

Minister Maait said Egypt's wise political leadership was able to introduce a rich development experience based on huge investments into infrastructure and in a way that contributed to turning challenges into construction and sustainable development opportunities that everyone can see in every village, city and street in Egypt and that aim to build a decent life for all citizens and improve the quality of services offered to them. This goes hand in hand with efforts being exerted to create investment opportunities that are attractive to the private sector and across the border development partnerships.

Deputy finance minister for fiscal policies and AIIB's board member Ahmed Kouchouk said we are looking forward to building development cooperation and partnerships with AIIB as this reflects the will of the two parties and goes in line with the strategic objectives of the Egyptian state in achieving sustainable and comprehensive development.