Prime Minister Sherif Ismail met with Antiquities Minister Mamdouh el Damati to follow up progress achieved at the new Grand Egyptian Museum.

The project is one of the largest national projects at the present time, Ismail has said.

The antiquities minister posted the premier on the developments at the museum and working plan for its scheduled opening in 2018, Cabinet spokesman Hossam Qawish said.

They also probed all steps taken to submit a request to the Japanese government for a second funding for the museum, the spokesman said.

In 2006, the Japanese government provided Egypt with a $300 million soft loan, payable in 10 years and with an interest rate of 1.5% payable in 20 years. Egypt allotted EGP 216 million for the museum project.

The site chosen for the Grand Egyptian Museum is only 2 km from the legendary Pyramids. The Giza plateau Memphis and its Necropolis nominated by UNESCO among the world Cultural Heritage Sites, contains irreplaceable monuments from across time. The museum complex will be built on a plot of land approximately 117 feddans, about 480,000 square meters.

Source: MENA