PM responds to claims that citizens do not feel development fruits

CAIRO, Oct 24 (MENA) – Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly stated during the closing ceremony of the Egypt 2026 Forum today, under the auspices of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, that some attempt to project a mental image that the citizen does not feel the fruits of development, affirming that what the historical presentation included today is sufficient to answer this question.

Madbouly added before concluding his speech that to the great people of Egypt, what this historical presentation included is sufficient to answer this question, and for those who want details, the total beneficiaries targeted by the presidential initiative Hayah Karima is 61 million citizens, with the first phase ending now benefiting 18 million citizens including 11 million citizens in Upper Egypt, asking whether these did not feel the fruits of development.

He added that the state managed to eliminate unsafe areas by executing housing units for about 1.5 million citizens, asking whether they did not feel the fruits of development, noting that without state intervention with these citizens, their fate would have been like others who died under rocks, lost their lives in torrent paths, or were electrocuted under high voltage wires.

He continued that the fruits of development enabled the state to spend billions of pounds on our people without any return for the government except the greatest, most important, and best return, which is protecting them from death, protecting their children, and working to secure a better future for them, and the reward for this with God is great.

He noted that 5.5 million citizens are currently registered in the first phase of the comprehensive health insurance system in the governorates of Port Said, Luxor, Ismailia, South Sinai, Suez, and Aswan, asking whether these do not enjoy the fruits of development, and 63 million citizens were screened and those in need treated for Hepatitis C, asking whether these did not return to life once again after their future was threatened.

Madbouli stated that 3.3 million operations were conducted to eliminate waiting lists, asking whether these millions did not benefit from the fruits of development, and two million families benefited from Sakan Kol Al-Masryeen projects and developing governorate capitals, asking whether this unprecedented number did not benefit from the fruits of development, besides eight million residents inhabiting unplannned areas developed by the state.

He added that the Suez Canal Economic Zone attracted investments providing 164,000 job opportunities, asking whether these youth and hundreds of thousands of others did not benefit from the fruits of development, besides 50,000 job opportunities provided by industrial complexes.

He continued that 16.2 million families benefited from efforts to connect natural gas to homes, and 8.3 million families benefited from support efforts for families most in need, among them 4.7 million families currently benefiting from the cash support program, 2.2 million families exited after their social and economic conditions improved, and 1.4 million families exited as a result of changing circumstances.

He completed that current average classroom density reached about 45 students compared to 100 students per classroom before 2014, asking whether they benefited or not, and the 150,000 teachers initiative to solve the teacher shortage problem benefited teachers, their families, students, and even the entire society.

Madbouli stated that until 2014, 10 or 12 percent of Egypt’s villages had sewage, and currently the percentage has become approximately 60 percent, asking whether all these citizens did not feel the fruits of development, affirming they certainly felt it, and hundreds of thousands of citizens used to ride trains without doors or windows along with breakdowns, while currently we have air-conditioned trains passing through Egypt’s villages, and we have a high-speed electric train, a light rail transit, a monorail, and endless phases of the subway. (MENA)