CAIRO: The Ministry of Planning met with the vice president of the Public Union of the Egyptian NGOs, Talaat Abdel Malek, among with representatives of a number of organizations and representatives of the revolution coalition. They discussed the 2011-2012 economic and social development plan, according to the advisor of the Minister of Planning, Ashraf al-Araby. He added they also discussed the ideas and proposals aiming to activate the public and youth to participate and follow and assess the plan. Al-Araby told Youm7 the ministry will take into account the reports sent by organizations and partners of the civil society and their observations about the social and economic development plan to activate the role of civil society. He said the plan focused on providing better atmosphere to achieve economic reform by increasing governmental investments to counter the expected lack in private and foreign investments. He added the plan includes focus on agriculture in addition to an increase in spending on health and education, which will help improve different economic fields. He said the development plan, presented on a Facebook page, aims to achieve the principle of participation and create a social culture. He assured there is a need to achieve accordance about a long-term development vision. He said the 2011-2012 plan is a different plan since it paves the way for a new five-year plan. He stressed the plan will focus on investing on people as a main source to achieve the social justice in its right meaning. He added the priority of the investment budget of the state will focus on education, technology, scientific research and health.
