Haya Karima launches initiative to develop basic services in cities

CAIRO – 19 April 2022: The National Project for the Development of Egyptian Villages, which is called “Haya Karima,” aims to change the living conditions in the countryside.

The initiative seeks to bring about a transformation of the Egyptian countryside and achieve integrated development to become an important and vital opportunity to support the national industry and then provide job opportunities, reduce unemployment, expand the percentage of women’s participation in the labor market and improve their income and thus change the Egyptian family's livelihood.

According to the report of the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development on the government’s efforts to achieve the sustainable development goals, that with regard to the first goal: the eradication of poverty, the state directed 750 billion pounds (from the state’s general budget) during the period (18/2019-20-2021) for social protection programs, with a growth rate It reached 50% between the years (15/2016 - 20/2021),

The preliminary stage of the “Haya Karima” initiative also included directing about 15 billion pounds to develop the 375 most needy villages in Egypt. Prior to the implementation of the “Haya Karima” initiative, the national poverty rate had reached 32.5% in 2017/2018 and was mainly concentrated in rural communities, especially in Upper Egypt.

The Egyptian state has also implemented the Solidarity and Dignity Program to eradicate poverty, which is the program that follows the presidential initiative.  “Haya Karima” launched by the President in early 2019. The initiative succeeded in this sector by supporting 3.8 million families (14.1 million citizens) of cash support programs, within billions of Pounds directed by the state to eradicate poverty.

The initiative succeeded in reducing the poverty rate in 19/2020 for the first time since 99/2000 to reach 29.7%, as well as reducing the extreme poverty rate from 6.2% in 2018/17 to 4.5% in 2019/2020.

In a related context, the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development launched the "Urban Communities Development" initiative, which targets the cities of the centers and the sheikhdoms affiliated with it, as part of the first phase of the national project for the development of the Egyptian countryside, “Haya Karima”.

Dr. Hala Al-Saeed, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, confirmed that the "Urban Clusters Development" initiative comes with the aim of achieving integration between the development efforts undertaken by the state in rural and urban areas.

Al-Saeed explained that the initiative includes about 75 urban clusters within the governorates of the first phase of “Haya Karima”, including: (Luxor, Aswan, Sohag, Assiut, Qena, Beni Suef, New Valley, Minya, Fayoum, Gharbia, Menoufia, Damietta,  Sharkia, Qalyubia, Alexandria, Beheira, Giza, Ismailia, Kafr El Sheikh, Dakahlia), benefiting about 4 million citizens.

The Assistant Minister of Planning and Economic Development referred to coordination with all relevant ministries and government agencies, to find out the projects to be implemented within the scope of the initiative, in order to achieve the desired development goals, explaining that the initiative targets 6 main sectors: drinking water and sanitation, education (establishing and developing schools). ), health (primary health care units, central hospitals), youth and sports (youth centers, clubs), as well as local development projects (paving roads within cities, developing markets and parking lots, craft areas and workshops).