The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development has issued a report on the features of the Citizen’s Investment Plan for North Sinai and South Sinai for 2022/23, on the occasion of the Sinai Liberation Day.
Hala El-Said, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, said that the sustainable development plan for the fiscal year 2022/23 pays special attention to spatial policies and programs aimed at achieving convergence in living standards and incomes between regions by addressing existing development gaps, and advancing development efforts in accordance with the components, characteristics and priorities of each region. In this regard, the efforts of spatial development were aimed at achieving integrated rural development to narrow the income gap and limit migration flows to urban areas, and to give high priority to the development of the Sinai Peninsula and the governorates of Upper Egypt within the framework of a coherent and integrated development program, in addition to giving a strong development impetus to the promising areas in the governorates to take advantage of existing opportunities and provide more job opportunities for young people.
She explained that these directions come in agreement with the sustainable development strategy within the framework of – Egypt’s Vision 2030 – and the consolidation of the principles of human rights in enjoying a decent life on the basis of justice and in a sustainable way.
She stressed that community participation is the basic guarantee for the localization of sustainable development goals at the local level, achieving balanced regional development, and bridging development gaps between the different governorates, in line with Egypt’s Vision 2030 and the seventeenth goal of the global sustainable development goals, “partnerships to achieve the goals.”
She emphasized that the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development is keen to involve citizens in all stages of the development process, which begins with planning, follow-up and impact assessment, and is always working to take accelerated steps towards creating the appropriate environment to enhance this participation, whether by providing detailed data related to annual sustainable development plans and issuing periodic implementation follow-up reports, or proposing priority initiatives and projects, within the framework of a comprehensive and integrated participatory approach, in order to achieve the principle of “leaving no one behind”.
Regarding North Sinai, El-Said explained that the number of development projects in the governorate reaches 152 projects, and that the value of public investments directed to the governorate in the 2022/23 plan amounts to EGP 7.9bn, an increase of 27.4% over the 2021/22 plan. With regard to the governorate of South Sinai, the number of development projects in the governorate reaches 208 projects, and the value of public investments directed to the governorate amounts to EGP 9.2bn, an increase of 124% over the 2021/22 plan.
With regard to the sectoral distribution of targeted public investments in North Sinai, according to the 2022/23 plan, El-Said indicated that investments amounting to EGP 2.5bn are directed to the transport sector, at a rate of 32%, and EGP 2.3bn, or 29%, to the housing sector. Local development sector investments amount to EGP 1.1bn, or 14%. The water resources and irrigation sector amounted to EGP 1.1bn, or 14%, and the higher education and scientific research sector amounted to EGP 225.4m, or 3%. As for the other sectors, investments amounted to EGP 675m, or 8%.
On the sectoral distribution of targeted public investments in South Sinai in the 2022/23 plan, the report indicated that investments amounting to EGP 2.5bn were directed to the local development sector at a rate of 27%, followed by the housing sector at a value of EGP 2bn at a rate of 22%, and related to higher education and scientific research at a rate of EGP 1.9bn at a rate 20%, then health, EGP 593.8m, or 7%, then the agricultural sector, with investments amounting to EGP 509.6m, or 5%. Other sectors in the governorate have investments worth EGP 1.7bn, or 19%.
The report referred to the most important development goals in the field of housing in North Sinai Governorate, according to plan 2022/23, represented in directing about EGP 691.8m for drinking water and sanitation services, and the number of development projects in this sector is 39 projects, and in the field of local development, it is intended to implement 70 development projects. The most important development goals are represented in paving local roads with about EGP 749.5m, in addition to directing EGP 237.9m to support the electricity networks.
The report also touched on the most important development goals in the local development sector in South Sinai in 2022/23, which is paving local roads with about EGP 1.8bn, in addition to directing EGP 60m for projects to improve the environment, and the number of development projects in this sector is 70 projects, and in the housing sector the number of development projects is 44 projects, and the most important development goals are represented in directing about EGP 1.3bn for drinking water and sanitation services, in addition to implementing 18 projects in the health sector, including the completion of the construction of the Al-Tur Medical Complex at a cost of EGP 150m, and the completion of the construction of Dahab Central Hospital at a cost EGP 40m.
