Egypt’s Sisi reviews social protection, childcare expansion plans

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Tuesday reviewed progress on plans to develop a unified social protection framework and expand childcare and elderly care services, the presidency said, as Cairo seeks to improve support for vulnerable groups.

Sisi met Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly and Social Solidarity Minister Maya Morsy to review efforts to modernise Egypt’s social protection system and improve the efficiency of support programmes.

The president also followed up on the implementation of the Takaful and Karama cash transfer programme, which supports about 4.7 million families, and called for an annual report assessing its social and economic impact.

During the meeting, Morsy reviewed preparations for a national social protection framework designed to create a more integrated system aligned with Egypt’s broader development goals.

The discussions also covered plans to expand nursery and early childhood services, which the government has identified as a strategic priority.

Morsy said the government plans to increase nursery capacity, improve childcare services, simplify licensing procedures, and establish a national database to identify areas most in need of additional facilities.

She added that the Social Solidarity Ministry is coordinating with the Ministry of Housing to expand nursery services in newly developed urban communities and upgrade existing facilities.

Sisi called for higher nursery enrolment, improved service quality, and a broader roadmap for the childcare sector, while also stressing the need to expand elderly care services and centres providing psychological and social support for children.

The meeting also reviewed efforts to strengthen Egypt’s foster family system for children without parental care, including a new electronic platform to improve oversight and coordination.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English