Sisi orders cash support package, early February salaries ahead of Ramadan

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi directed Saturday the government to roll out a new social protection package providing direct cash support to low-income and vulnerable groups ahead of Ramadan, and to bring forward February salary payments for state employees.

In a meeting with Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly and Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk, Sisi instructed officials to announce and implement the package before the start of the holy month to ensure eligible beneficiaries receive assistance during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr.

He also ordered that February wages for public sector workers be disbursed this week, ahead of the fasting month.

The presidency said the meeting approved additional financial allocations to complete first-phase projects under the Hayah Karima (Decent Live) Initiative, aimed at improving living conditions in rural areas, as well as measures to create jobs for vulnerable groups and strengthen the healthcare sector.

The healthcare measures include expanding access to treatment, improving services, reducing waiting lists for critical cases, and accelerating implementation of the comprehensive health insurance system.

Talks also covered proposals to raise state employees’ incomes and introduce tax facilities and reforms in the 2026/2027 fiscal year. The planned reforms aim to simplify and modernise the tax and real estate tax systems, amend selected customs tariffs to support local industry, encourage investment and combat smuggling.

Kouchouk briefed the president on progress in negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), efforts to reduce the debt-to-GDP ratio of budget entities, implementation of the government’s debt management strategy, and recent financial and economic performance indicators, alongside measures to bolster investor confidence and enhance Egypt’s competitiveness.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English

Subediting: Y.Yasser