Egypt has allocated about EGP 500bn to develop 4,500 villages across the country, President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has revealed.
In remarks on Saturday, the President said that the government has been able to provide all the financial support needed to develop these villages. The development of Egypt’s villages, however, faces a significant challenge in the huge size of the development projects required, as each village differs from the other. This means that the government has to provide different designs for each village separately.
President Al-Sisi also confirmed that there is a mandate to construct 500,000 housing units in various governorates, especially those governorates without a desert backing. He added that the authorities are currently able to create one million housing units per year.
The President said that, following the state’s previous absence which caused an increase in slum settlements, the project to redevelop Egypt’s slum areas may cost the state about EGP 3trn-EGP 4trn.
He also pointed out that unplanned building is a major problem in Egypt, indicating that the establishment of 24 new cities aims to solve this crisis.
President Al-Sisi noted that slums account for about 40% or 50% of Egypt’s housing units, and added that there is a need for cooperation in order to stop the problem of random construction from escalating.
Moreover, he said that the issue of family planning and population growth is one of Egypt’s top priorities.
The President announced that the state is trying to address this problem by providing the required housing units, and called on professionals to intervene to educate society about the dangers of population growth. He indicated that the concerted efforts of the state and citizens have become necessary to eliminate the problem of overpopulation.
The national plan for developing the countryside comes as part of the state’s sustainable development efforts targeting rural areas. It aims to raise the capabilities of the infrastructure in these villages, covering all services, and living and social aspects. This will, in turn, effect a positive change in the reality of life for those living in Egypt’s villages, and ensure that the change occurs in a comprehensive manner.
Developing the villages aims to upgrade the efficiency of their services in integration with Egypt’s national “Decent Life” initiative, which targets the development of rural communities.
Recently, the Decent Life Foundation welcomed volunteers of all ages and experiences to participate in the presidential initiative’s various activities, which target the development of 1,500 villages in 20 governorates nationwide.
The “Decent Life” initiative targets the most vulnerable groups, providing them with essential services including: infrastructure development; decent housing; social development; health services; educational services; and economic empowerment.
