Cairo - President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Tuesday received Prime Minister Sherif Ismail and Planning Minister Hala El-Said. Presidential spokesman Alaa Youssef said the minister reviewed preliminary economic and social indicators for the 2016-2017 fiscal years. Indicators showed that the economic growth rate reached 4.9 percent during the last quarter of 2016/2017, bringing the overall annual economic growth rate to 4.1 percent, which was higher than expected, Said said. She added that the growth rate of real GDP for various sectors increased for the first time since 2007, in addition to an increase in commodity exports by 10 percent, and a decrease of imports by 14 percent. Trade balance deficit dropped by 26 percent, and the unemployment rates declined during the third quarter of the year from 12.7 to 12 percent, reflecting an increase in employment opportunities as a result of national projects being implemented across the country, Said said.
Deputy Minister for Administrative Reform Saleh Abdel Rahman reviewed an administrative reform plan implemented by the ministry, leading to an institutional reform aiming at raising efficiency of the state's administrative body through restructuring the ministries, and establishing new units, including units of governance, internal auditing, and innovation, as well as units specialized in supporting the government employee and receiving complaints and proposals. He also reviewed challenges facing administrative reform efforts in Egypt.
