The mega project, located near the Giza Pyramids on the outskirts of Cairo and considered the largest archaeological museum in the world dedicated to a civilization, is set to open today after nearly two decades of construction, on a day declared a public holiday.
Dozens of foreign leaders and dignitaries are expected at the inauguration, including the kings of Spain and Belgium, the presidents of Germany, Portugal, Croatia, Serbia, Colombia, and Palestine, as well as the prime ministers of Hungary, Greece, and the Netherlands, according to information from the Egyptian presidency.
Other guests include the presidents of Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the prime ministers of Greece, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Uganda, the Prince of Monaco, the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, and the queens of Jordan and Denmark.
In November 2016, during his first year in office, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa welcomed the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, to Portugal on a state visit.
The Portuguese President subsequently visited Egypt on a state visit at the invitation of al-Sisi in April 2018.
On that occasion, before returning to Portugal, he visited the Giza Pyramids, the old Egyptian Museum in central Cairo, and the construction site of the Grand Egyptian Museum.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa returned to Cairo in November 2022, making a stopover on his way to Qatar.
The Grand Egyptian Museum, which authorities hope will significantly boost tourism, has represented an estimated financial investment of one billion dollars over the years. The inauguration has been postponed several times, with partial openings to the public in the meantime.
Spanning nearly 500,000 square meters, the museum will house more than 50,000 objects on display. The collection includes the treasures from the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, including his famous gold death mask.
