Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab held a meeting Monday to follow up measures taken to implement a furniture city project in Damietta.

Attending the meeting were Trade and Industry Minister Mounir Fakhri Abdel Nour, Housing Minister Moustafa Madbouli and Investment Minister Ashraf Salman.

Mahlab said the government is keen on implementing the project, which will turn Damietta into a major specialized industrial zone in the Middle East.

The furniture city will be established over an area of 331 feddans, the prime minister said, noting that furniture is a promising sector in Egypt.

Handmade Egyptian furniture is famous worldwide for its good quality, Mahlab said.

He listened to funding alternatives and ways to manage the project and working teams.

They also discussed executive steps to implement the project.

Mahlab called for outlining a marketing study for the project.

Mahlab is set to visit Italy to get firsthand information about how to establish furniture industry complexes.

Damietta governor Taha Ismail will be accompanying Mahlab on his upcoming visit to Italy.

Board chairman of the Holding Company for Construction and Development was present in the meeting.

He reviewed a design of a complex of wooden industries, which should be built over 50 feddans, plus a service area; all as part of a total area of 331 feddans which constitute the first phase of the project.

The participants agreed that the Housing Ministry take up soil test operations.

The Investment Ministry will outline a marketing study, while the Trade and Industry Ministry will probe similar experiments in the different countries, including Italy.

Mahlab said parties concerned should sign a protocol of cooperation to build the furniture city in Damietta as soon as possible.