Egypt disburses LE346M for regular workers affected by coronavirus

CAIRO – 9 August 2020: Emergency subsidization fund at Ministry of Manpower is currently completing the disbursement of subsidies for workers in the sectors affected by the coronavirus, especially the tourism sector, spinning and weaving, and others, according to Minister of Manpower Mohamed Saafan.

Saafan said in a statement Sunday, that the value of subsidies amounted to LE 346.806 million for about 299,530 working in 3,393 establishments affected by the emerging coronavirus pandemic, at a rate of 100 percent of the basic wage of workers.

“This is the limit that the employer insured with and the insurances are fixed at a minimum of LE 600, in implementation of President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi's directives to pay the salaries of regular workers in the sectors affected by the coronavirus  (COVID-19), especially the affected tourism.

The minister pointed out that with regard to the tourism sector (private and public), LE 207.66 million were spent for 199,924 workers working in 3,195 establishments.

As for the spinning and weaving sector (private and public), the minister pointed out that LE 98.7 million were spent for 76,675 workers working in 97 establishments, and LE 40.45 million were spent for 22,931 workers working in 101 private and public sector establishments.

Saafan confirmed that rules for the disbursement of the affected sectors, especially the tourism sector, have been established by agreement between the Ministries of Manpower, Tourism, Planning, Development and Economic during their last meeting to aid that sector, according to which applications are submitted to the General Federation of Tourist Chambers for review and submitted to the Fund, which in turn reviews them with Social Insurance. As a result, disbursements are made to distressed firms by checks or bank transfers on their account.