Egypt is trying to create farmland and living space outside the valley of the Nile since the population growth is forcing them to. One area is SE from the delta, the other is in the south, where they plan to refill the Toshka lakes (which are man made in the firs place), and the lands would surround those.
Basically this is a terraforming effort.
https://eros.usgs.gov/media-gallery/earthshot/toshka-project-egypt
https://www.egypttoday.com/Article/1/115145/Toshka-agricultural-project-revived-amid-Egypt%E2%80%99s-hope-to-achieve-self