The urban quest for legitimacy: The case of Egypt's NAC

The past decade has witnessed the introduction of multiple urban mega-projects in one of the largest countries in the MENA region: Egypt. These projects, under the umbrella of al-Sisi's "Vision 2030", claim to bring modernity without the initiation of any democratic reforms for the people (which defies the modernization theory). The most outstanding of them all is the New Administrative Capital (NAC). Al-Sisi's regime has claimed on multiple occasions that NAC is the fresh start Egypt needs to boost its economic development, and it is regarded as his most important project to date. However, the economic indicators haven't provided the actual numbers that were promised. There have been delays in almost all the project's deadlines, with a back scaling of the initial goals set. Not only that, but the Egyptian economy is drowning with a high inflation rate and a harsh currency devaluation. Thus, this thesis aims to understand why al-Sisi is still prioritizing the development of NAC, despite the high risk attached to it amidst an economic crisis. This will be understood through an analysis of the political discourse of al-Sisi's urban approach, which will eventually lead to one outcome: performance legitimacy. Since his authoritarian regime did not arrive to its position of power through democratic means – if anything, one could argue it came through 'illegitimate' or unconventional means – it aspires to find alternative ways to gain legitimacy. As a result, al-Sisi aims to create a "New Republic" spatially as his regime's legacy, and he is determined to pursue it regardless of the economic consequences. Therefore, by examining NAC through the lens of "legitimacy" as the ultimate end, I argue that this urban mega-project is al-Sisi's means to maintain the stability of his regime rather than the common well-being of the Egyptian people.