Qena (Upper Egypt) - Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said on Sunday that the state is "in a race against time" to provide citizens with essential consumer goods at affordable prices, citing difficulties due to increasing rates of consumption. The president made the comments during an event in Qena to inaugurate a set of infrastructure development projects in Upper Egypt. In his speech, Sisi referred to a range of measures linked to economic reforms that are intended to fix problems in the economy and bring consumer prices under control, while ensuring that the supply of goods keeps pace with demand. He said that the economic reform programme, which was launched in 2014, is necessary to ensure the Egyptian currency settles at its true value relative to the nation's economy.