President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi inaugurated Egypt’s new Strategic Command Headquarters, known as “The Octagon”, in the New Administrative Capital on July 4.

The complex is intended to centralise Egypt’s command, control and national security infrastructure, bringing military and state crisis management functions into a single high-security facility.

Spanning about 22,000 feddans, or roughly 92 square kilometres, the headquarters is divided into 13 strategic and logistical zones. Its design includes eight main octagonal buildings representing branches and directorates of the armed forces and state institutions, linked to a central command facility.

Egyptian state media said the complex would serve not only as a military headquarters but also as an integrated civilian-military crisis management centre, monitoring national security indicators, coordinating emergency responses and improving preparedness against cyber threats and so-called fourth- and fifth-generation warfare.

The facility was planned and built by Egyptian Armed Forces personnel in cooperation with national companies, according to Al Ahram. It includes independent energy, water and cooling systems designed to ensure continuity during crises.

Official material also said the headquarters is supported by secured high-speed communications networks, advanced cybersecurity systems and artificial intelligence tools for big data analysis and decision-making.

The opening comes as Egypt continues to shift key government, military and administrative functions to the New Administrative Capital, a flagship desert megaproject east of Cairo. The project has been promoted by the government as a way to modernise the state and ease pressure on Cairo, though it has also drawn scrutiny over cost, transparency and the military’s role in major infrastructure projects.

El-Sisi inspected the headquarters in June before its formal opening. The government has presented The Octagon as a major step in strengthening Egypt’s military command structure and crisis management capacity.