Egypt's Minister of Local Development, Manal Awad, announced that the ministry is implementing presidential directives to simplify procedures related to building regulations across various governorates. The new measures mirror similar simplifications recently made for building permit issuance. During a press conference on Saturday, Awad said that the government's motto for the upcoming period is "Serving the Citizen," with a focus on simplifying all procedures related to various laws and addressing citizen complaints. She detailed the ministry's collaboration with the United Media Services Company on several key projects, including a major media campaign to educate citizens about the new law on building violations and reconciliation. The campaign, scheduled to launch in September, will utilise print, broadcast, and social media platforms to highlight the benefits and facilitation measures of the new law. The goal is to encourage citizens to submit reconciliation requests within the six-month window provided by the law's executive regulations. "Citizens now have a golden opportunity to reconcile their building violations, protect their properties, and contribute to the state's rightful dues, which will ultimately be reinvested in service and development projects across all governorates," Awad said. Since the new reconciliation law took effect in May, approximately 550,000 requests for reconciliation certificates have been submitted, Awad said. The ministry continues to coordinate with all relevant ministries and authorities to ensure the smooth and efficient implementation of the new law for the benefit of citizens. Awad also provided updates on the presidential initiative "Hayah Karima," (Decent Life) announcing that a significant number of projects under the first phase have been completed across all governorates. The remaining projects, mainly related to sewage and drinking water infrastructure, require more time due to their complexity. The first phase included the completion of 27,000 projects, including 323 government service projects and 351 civil protection, market, and transportation projects. In coordination with the governorates, the ministry has provided 5,000 land plots in targeted villages to begin the initiative's second phase. Preparations are underway to finalise necessary documents and unify a comprehensive map with all relevant authorities, including electricity, water, and urban boundaries before work commences. Awad also announced a recent reshuffle in local administration, which included several appointments of general secretaries and assistant general secretaries. She also announced the completion of interviews for 1,540 applicants for the ministry's 2023 competition to fill 91 leadership positions in local administration across all governorates, with results to be announced soon. A new competition for 85 additional leadership positions will also be announced shortly. The ministry is continuously evaluating leadership within local administrations across the governorates. Awad highlighted the ministry's ongoing efforts to train local administration staff, particularly those who pass leadership competitions. The training is conducted at the Local Development Training Center in Saqqara and includes various levels of employees. The ministry also offers scholarships, programs, and training courses abroad in key areas where skill enhancement is crucial, especially in sectors and specialised fields. These courses are organised in cooperation with several friendly countries, including European and Asian nations, notably China, to exchange expertise. Awad confirmed that the Local Development Training Center in Saqqara will receive full support and attention in the coming period to address some shortcomings identified during her recent visit. New, urgent courses relevant to the ministry's work will be added to the training plan, and the content and teaching methods of the courses will be updated, with collaboration from the National Training Academy, a leading training institution in Egypt. Awad reiterated her commitment to combating corruption within local administrations. She has issued clear and ongoing directives to intensify efforts to detect and address any corruption or violations within local administrations, taking appropriate legal action as necessary. The ministry's Performance Evaluation, Monitoring, and Inspection Sector plays a crucial role in this effort. The ministry also places great importance on citizen complaints, addressed through the "Your Voice is Heard" initiative, which serves as a communication channel between the ministry and citizens to resolve various complaints quickly. The Minister disclosed plans to strengthen the Inspection Sector with qualified and trained personnel to oversee and inspect local governorate administration activities. She emphasised the importance of expanding and developing technology centres across all governorates, as part of the government's digital transformation project, which has received significant attention from President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi. This project aims to provide services to citizens in a more streamlined and efficient manner, reduce the time required to deliver these services and digitise service delivery mechanisms. The technology centres are one of the state's key tools in combating corruption, ensuring fair access to services for all citizens, and separating the service requester from the service provider.
