It was an Egyptian institution, part of the Ministry of Charitable Endowments (awqaf in Arabic), but is often referred to by its French title.
[1][2] The Comité was established partly in response to the neglect and occasional destruction of medieval Cairo which had begun over the course of the 19th century under the regime of Muhammad Ali and his successors, who attempted to modernize Egypt through projects including the construction of new areas of Cairo that followed a European model.
[3]: 16–17 French archaeological enthusiasts such as Arthur Rhoné and Gabriel Charmes had helped publicize the issue in France, which created pressure on the Khedive.
[4] The Comité's tasks, split between two sub-committees or commissions, was first to index every Islamic or Coptic monument in Egypt, assess which ones were in need of attention, and then recommend a course of action.
[1] The courses of action undertaken ranged from strict preservation to large-scale restoration of single monuments.