Egypt’s national security, improving citizen’s standards of living, economic development, developing and building the Egyptian citizen, and developing Egypt’s foreign policy.
The government statement by the Prime Minister and Minister of Housing, Mustafa Madbouli, was presented to the House of Representatives during its plenary session held under the chairmanship of Dr. Ali Abdel-Aal, Speaker of the House of Representatives, outlined the new government’s targeted efforts towards gaining the confidence of the Council in implementing the Constitution.
Madbouli announced five main core axes to be tackled by the new government he’s sphere heading: Protection of national security, improving the standard of living of citizens taking into account the rights of the poorest and mostly marginalized groups, economic development and efficiency of the government’s performance, developing and building the Egyptian citizen, and developing Egypt’s foreign policy.
Madbouli explained that his government’s first priority is to protect Egypt’s national security including achieving security, freedom and stability for the Egyptian citizen, while protecting and securing Egypt’s boarders, combating terrorism, and commitment to the promotion of human rights and maintenance of fundamental freedoms in the framework of law application and conserving political rights and non-discrimination to motivate citizens to perform their duties and revitalize their political rights, strengthening parties and the enactment of laws relating to human rights in accordance with constitutional entitlements.
Madbouli highlighted that the government will provide all support to our armed forces and police, for their continued duty in protecting the homeland.
Madbouli explained that achievement of water security and preservation of Egypt’s water rights is a fundamental priority within Egypt’s national security, as well as food security and abundance by providing adequate stocks of strategic goods over the short term and self-sufficiency for major crops in the medium and long term.
Madbouli explained that his government’s second priority is to work on improving the citizens standard of living taking into account the rights of the poorest and marginalized groups, stressing that the Egyptian citizen will see over the next few months a remarkable boom, and overall improvement in various arenas related that will impact his daily life, in the areas of food & commodities provision, traffic control and mass transit, housing, water and sanitation, as well as other services.
Madbouli’s government third priority tackled economic development and raising the efficiency of the government’s performance, Madbouli explained that the difficult economic impacts due to the economic reform implemented over the past years would soon be reflected in the next period, as 85% of the economic reform program has already been implemented, stating that good results will shortly be reflected.
Madbouli said that the government would take urgent measures to support the citizen and mitigate the effects associated with the economic reform program.
Madbouli stated that the government’s forth priority will be working towards developing and building the Egyptian citizen; this program includes the consolidation of cultural and civilizational identity by activating the role of cultural institutions and spreading the culture of science and innovation. Correcting misconceptions, protecting society from intellectual extremism, restoring the moral and human values, establishing sound foundations of loyalty, belonging and citizenship, Strengthening Egypt’s pioneering role in spreading Islam’s tolerance, developing talents of young people and children to develop talent, innovation and creativity within the new generations.
Madbouli explained that the fifth priority of the government’s program concerns Egypt’s foreign policy, in the form of developing and maintaining balanced policies with all world powers for achieving Egypt’s interests, working to ensure the security and stability of the Gulf region, adopting a clear and decisive position on issues raised within Arab countries that are witnessing political and military conflicts to achieve national security within the regional and African contexts, and activating the role of Cairo International Center for the Settlement of Disputes and peace-building.
The new government’s vision and priorities come with a balanced set-up of areas that need be tackled within Egypt currently, yet the branches within each priority mean a continued concentration by the government into Egypt’s national security, maintaining the economic reform path with some of its positive impacts expected shortly, as well as, maintaining and developing Egypt’s foreign policy.
On the other hand, developing and building the Egyptian citizen tackles a new perspective by the government, supporting and developing the educational and health sectors, wisely marked by president El-Sisi as his main priorities within the coming four years, as well as, citizens’ integration into political parties under the umbrella of law.
Further more, upgrading the citizen’s standards of living seem as the greatest challenge as Egypt has provided various resources for SMEs funding, opened up industrial clusters in various governorates and worked heavily on implementing financial and social programs to support the poor and marginalized groups. On the other hand, the government needs to apply laws related to upgrading the performance and development of public administration, which entitles the government with the heavy task of cleanup and organization within its ranks.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr. Ali Abdel-Aal, called upon the qualitative committees in the Council to study the statement of the government, within its competence and to formulate its recommendations before the Special Committee concludes its report.
