Ashraf Sadek: CAIRO, July 03, 2018 - Minister Dr Moustafa Madbouli Tuesday confirmed that the achievement of human and economic development was the main target of his government. Addressing the House of Deputies, Prime Minister Madbouli said this approach was in implementation of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi's directives to give due attention to building the capacities of Egyptian citizens, through improving the health and education services. In presenting the government's plan of action over the next four years, Dr Madbouli promised that the government would expedite the completion of public service projects, especially those aimed at improving the health and education sectors. Prime Minister Madbouli said that his plan of action, called 'Egypt's Launching' was focused on continuing the government's efforts to boost the economy and preserve monetary stability, in keeping with the economic reform and restructuring programmes that were launched two years ago. The prime minister said that all citizens would enjoy the benefits of the economic reforms in two years' time. He said that his government would work on providing the credit facilities needed for the various sectors, particularly with regard to the social protection nets and programmes, since this support helped alleviate the economic burden borne by the neediest segments of society and limited-income citizens. Prime Minister Madbouli said it was important to pursue the efforts to expand the social protection networks and improve the quality of services provided to citizens. He told parliament that his government would continue to protect the limited-income strata against the effects of economic reform through closer monitoring of market prices and ensuring the availability of basic goods at affordable prices. He said that the government would make sure that citizens received a steady supply of essential foods at reasonable and subsidised prices. The government's plan of action was designed to achieve five basic goals, which were: Protecting national security, improving the standard of living of all Egyptians with special focus on the neediest segments and limited-income citizens, achieving economic growth, enhancing the performance of the government and manpower development, and strengthening Egypt's relations with all countries. Speaking about the first objective, Prime Minister Madbouli said that the government would work on protecting citizens, securing the country's sea and land borders, combatting terrorism, promoting human rights, political rights and freedom of expression, and strengthening political parties. He saluted the police and army personnel who have made great sacrifices for the sake of the nation and their fellow Egyptians. The national security component of the government's plan, the prime minister said, was also aimed at achieving water security, protecting Egyptian water interests, preserving and developing the available water resources, achieving food sufficiency, ensuring the availability of strategic commodities, and achieving self-sufficiency in basic farm products. In addition, the national security component was aimed at ensuring that Egypt had enough environmentally-friendly resources of traditional and new energy, while working on discovering new oil and natural gas fields. The second objective was aimed at improving the standard of living of all Egyptians through offering high quality education, health, transport, housing, road, and sanitation services within the next few months, he added. With regard to the third objective, Prime Minister Madbouli said that the government would keep on protecting the limited-income strata against the effects of economic reform through ensuring the availability of basic goods at affordable and subsidised prices. Speaking about the fourth objective, he said that the government would work on achieving an economic growth rate of eight per cent through improving government performance, increasing state revenues, maximising the use of state-owned assets, attracting more investments, encouraging the launching of more small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), increasing exports, and launching more development projects. With regard to the fifth objective, Prime Minister Madbouli said the government would seek to maintain balanced relations with all the world powers while preserving Egypt's interests and playing a more active role in resolving regional and international disputes through diplomatic means.
