CAIRO, Aug 18 (Aswat Masriya) - Three new governorates will be added to Egypt's map, as per a new border demarcation plan discussed by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Monday.

Sisi held a five-hour meeting with Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb, Local Development Minister Adel Labib and a group of governors to discuss the new border demarcation plan. The plan mainly involves the southern governorates of Upper Egypt, described by Sisi as "marginalised" in the past.

Labib said new governorates will include one in central Sinai, one in the North Coast region of al-Alameen and a third combining the Western Sahara oases of Farafra and Bahariya. He added that the borders of the governorates of Cairo, Giza and Suez are still being demarcated, whereas northern governorates such as Gharbiya, Daqahliyah, Damietta and Kafr el-Sheikh will remain unchanged. 

The local development minister said the new border demarcation plan was presented to Egypt's governors and adopted after they provided their feedback on it.

Sisi stressed the importance of accurately surveying population growth and its rates to know the number of new residential units and public utilities needed.

Mehleb had formed a committee headed by Labib to present a new border demarcation plan for Egypt's governorates.