Egypt's Prime Minister, Mostafa Madbouly, chaired a meeting on Monday to review the progress of the first phase of the "Decent Life" initiative, a major presidential project aimed at developing Egypt's rural villages. The meeting brought together key government figures, including Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning and Economic Development and International Cooperation; Amr Talaat, Minister of Communications and Information Technology; Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development; Sherif El-Sharif, Minister of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities; and other relevant officials. The Prime Minister began by emphasizing that the meeting's objective was to assess the final stages of Phase 1 projects, identify remaining tasks, ensure swift implementation to benefit citizens, and prepare for the launch of the second phase in the upcoming fiscal year. Randa El-Menshawy, the Prime Minister's First Assistant, presented key updates on Phase 1, including funding strategies for completion, an estimate of the budget required for the first year of Phase 2, and plans for the operation and equipping of government service complexes. The Ministry of Local Development has worked closely with relevant agencies to inventory technological equipment and other necessities for these complexes. Consultants from Dar Al-Handasa provided a detailed report on the implementation of Phase 1, highlighting the completion rate of 27,334 projects across targeted villages. The report outlined sectors where work had been completed or was nearing completion, as well as remaining tasks for the Ministry of Housing and the Engineering Authority, along with updated timelines for Phase 1. The Minister of Planning and Economic Development shared insights on her ministry's role in managing financial resources and monitoring development progress. A report for the fiscal year 2023-2024 was completed, while another is in progress for the first half of 2024-2025. The report covers 20 governorates, 52 centers, 332 local units, 1,477 villages, and approximately 18 million citizens. The first phase's budget allocation for Upper Egypt accounted for 68%, with 70% directed toward human development and 30% for green public investments. The minister also highlighted impressive performance indicators, including a 366% increase in natural gas subscriptions, a 58% rise in sanitation services, and a 41% improvement in high-speed internet access between July 2021 and December 2024. In his closing remarks, Prime Minister Madbouly prioritized the completion of sanitation projects, stressing their critical importance for rural communities. He also announced that bi-weekly meetings would be held to monitor progress on remaining Phase 1 projects. Additionally, the Ministers of Planning, International Cooperation, and Local Development were tasked with assessing the operational status of completed government complexes and ensuring that remaining ones are equipped and accessible to citizens.
