Egypt earmarks EGP7 billion to most-impoverished villages: minister

Egypt is allocating a sum of 7 billion Egyptian pounds ($429.6 million) from its 2019/2020 state budget to upgrade the neediest and most impoverished villages, Planning Minister Hala al-Saeed said Saturday.

As part of Egypt’s 2030 sustainable development plan, the country seeks to narrow the development gaps among cities, where poverty their key indicator, El-Saeed said in a ministry statement.

The plan targets the poorest villages in Assiut, Sohag, Minya, Qena, Luxor, Giza, and Aswan governorates, she added. It will work on boosting sustainable development and generating more job opportunities through improving local infrastructure and work environment in those villages.

Egypt is making headway in carrying out the development plan, adding that 13 billion pounds were directed to investments in the Upper Egyptian governorates during the financial year 2018-2019, al-Saeed said. Around 158 villages covering 2.5 million people have benefited.