Sisi discusses preparations for Ramadan with Prime Minister

CAIRO – 22 May 2017: President Abdel Fath al-Sisi met with Prime Minister Sherif Ismail and Minister of Finance Amr el-Garhy to discuss the tentative outcomes of the general budget for the current fiscal year 2016/2017 and preparations for the holy month of Ramadan, according to a Monday press release.

During the meeting, the participants also considered the measures currently taken by the government to reduce the budget deficit and the public debt, according to the new general budget for the coming fiscal year.

Garhy indicated that the budget allocation for social security will increase according to the new general budget, pointing out that the government seeks to undertake unconventional measures to ease the burdens of low-income earners.

Ismail highlighted the efforts made by the government to ensure the availability of adequate amounts of food commodities in the markets.

Ismail, moreover, confirmed the government’s keenness to prop up the ration cards system and to finalize the process of updating the beneficiaries’ data by the end of June.