Egypt on Wednesday set November 1 as the date for the much-heralded, official opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, the world's largest museum about a single civilisation.
The announcement was made by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly during a Cabinet meeting. The opening of the $1 billion museum had been scheduled for July 3.
The government blamed "current regional developments" when it announced the latest delay on June 14. That was a veiled reference to the Iran-Israel conflict at the time.
A government statement said Mr Madbouly has directed the authorities to finish preparations for the opening, which he said would be an "exceptional event" attended by foreign dignitaries.
The museum, which sits in view of the Giza pyramids west of Cairo, staged a soft opening last year. It is expected to continue to receive visitors until shortly before the formal opening in November.
The museum was first announced in 2002, when a foundation stone was laid at the site. However, the idea of building a museum of its size was first mooted in the 1990s.
The museum, or the GEM as it is known, is attracting thousands of foreign and local visitors daily. Still, Egypt believes the official opening ceremony, which is likely to be broadcast live across much of the world, will help to boost tourism, a vital foreign currency earner for the North African country.
The museum is forecast to attract as many as five million visitors after its official opening.
Egypt is anticipating a 6 per cent annual increase in international visitors this year to reach 16.8 million travellers, despite the shadow of wars around it in Gaza, its eastern neighbour, and Sudan to the south.
It aims to further diversify its offerings and expand into adventure travel and conference meetings, among other avenues, according to Sherif Fathy, Egypt's Minister of Tourism and Antiquities.
Egypt may revise its annual forecast upwards later in the year, as the first three months of 2025 showed a 25 per cent annual increase, he said.
