Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly held a meeting Sunday evening to review the implementation of the first phase of the 'Decent Life' presidential initiative, aimed at developing rural villages across Egypt. During the meeting, Madbouly reaffirmed the government's commitment to monitoring the initiative's progress. He emphasised the importance of ensuring projects are completed and that citizens benefit from the services provided, as well as maximising returns on investments. Rania Al-Mashat, Egyptian Minister of Planning and Economic Development and International Cooperation, and Sherif El-Sherbini, the Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities, were among the officials in attendance. The initial phase of the 'Decent Life' initiative encompasses projects in 1,477 villages spanning 20 governorates, with the aim of enhancing services for residents. Ahmed Abdel Azim, head of the Dar Al-Handasah consulting firm, reported that projects have been fully completed in 348 villages, with 95 of those finished in the past fortnight. He added that approximately 1,007 villages have reached 95% completion, with a further 150 expected to be completed by the end of March. In recent weeks, 843 projects across various sectors have been completed, and 3,398 projects have been handed over. Abdel Azim also provided progress updates on the remaining projects, including detailed timelines, and highlighted coordination efforts with various stakeholders to speed up completion. Al-Mashat stated that the budget allocated for the first phase of the 'Decent Life' initiative totals 350 billion Egyptian pounds. She noted that approximately 70% of investments are directed towards human development, while 30% are classified as green investments. Upper Egypt is allocated 68% of the first phase's funding, covering 34 beneficiary centres in nine governorates, including 199 local units and 900 villages, benefitting 11 million citizens. Furthermore, Upper Egypt accounts for 55% of completed school construction and renovation projects and 59% of completed healthcare service projects.
