Gov't denies intention to found a ministry for happiness

CAIRO – 12 July 2019: Government sources have denied rumors about intentions to found a Ministry of State for Happiness.

The sources further affirmed that remarks by Government Complaints Officer Tarek Al-Rifai during his interview with TV presenter Hamdy Rezk in Sada el Balad TV channel were misinterpreted.

They also stressed that Rifai’s remarks were about launching a ‘system’ to raise satisfaction and happiness rates among Egyptians, rather than founding a ministry.

This system includes new mechanisms and procedures that aim at improving and facilitating public services and better communication with citizens, as according to Rifai, the government seeks to rise the quality of the services provided to citizens.

In March 2018, the United Arab Emirates, ranked the happiest country in the Arab world in the 2018 World Happiness Report, launched an initiative to export happiness to a number of neighboring Arab countries.

Dubbed “Happiness A-Z,” the initiative aims to “instil the culture of positivity, tolerance, and happiness in the behaviour of individuals in order to transform happiness to a behaviour and a habit,” according to a statement by its co-founder Tahani al-Terry.

Though the project is not directly linked to the UAE's Ministry of Happiness and is an "individual" effort, it is following the country's plans.