Egypt's interim Prime Minister Essam Sharaf on Monday said decentralizing government authority would help meet people's needs during the country's transitional period. During a conference, Sharaf said granting additional authority to local governments will improve living standards and services. He emphasized a need to consider local authorities' roles in development plans, the importance of decentralized decision-making and the creation of a new local government system that is in line with recent political changes in Egypt. Egypt's Minister of Local Development Mohsen al-Nomani said work is underway to improve the country's local governments by looking at successful systems, particularly the French system. Nomani said allocations for local development in the 2011-2012 budget have been increased by nearly 10 percent. Meanwhile, French Ambassador to Cairo Jean Felix-Paganon said his country would provide Egypt with support in all fields, especially local development. The conference, "Toward a New Local Development," was organized in collaboration with the French Embassy in Cairo. Translated from the Arabic Edition
