The government allocated 25% of the total investments of EGP 90m for the benefit of the Egyptian and Islamic antiquities in various governorates.
Ayman Ashmawy, head of the Ancient Egyptian Antiquities sector at the Ministry of Antiquities, said that the amount allocated for archaeological excavations within the government’s Antiquities sector budget for the current fiscal year is sufficient for the nature of the work, since the government does not bear the cost of all excavations.
He added that the amount allocated during the past fiscal year was somewhat larger than the current amount, explaining that the state is trying to rationalise its budget in light of the economic obstacles it currently faces.
He explained that the amount allocated by the government for the excavations, often used in salvage excavations, usually in the areas threatened by urban encroachment, close to agricultural and residential areas, or subject to infringements.
Moreover, he said that the archaeological excavations extend to all the governorates that contain archaeological sites, where work is done at 30 sites per season, which extends over three months each.
There are other excavations to be paid by foreign missions, of which there are currently 180 in Egypt, in addition to the excavations at the expense of others, which are funded by entities wishing to establish projects on land owned by the Ministry of Antiquities or close to archaeological sites.
