Egypt will dig up a 35 kilometer long artificial waterway alongside the Suez Canal. Egyptian president Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi announced that digging for the 4 billion dollar waterway will be finished by mid-2015. 17 civilian companies have been chosen to finalize the project in cooperation with military companies under the supervision of the armed forces. El-Sisi called on Egyptians to participate in financing the project through buying shares. The new canal is part of the Suez Canal Development mega project which includes the development of several seaports in the three Governorates bordering the canal – Suez, Ismailia and Port Said. It also envisages the development of a seaport in the South Sinai city of Nuweiba and the development of Sharm Al-Sheikh airport. A number of large-scale projects are also in the works, including a "Technology Valley" in Ismailia which will host several technology projects along with a new industrial zone west of the Gulf of Suez.