ASSIUT, Upper Egypt – Egyptian Housing Minister Assem el-Gazzar asserted that the state had devised an integrated vision to handle the main development issues in Upper Egypt.
This came in Gazzar’s speech during the inauguration of gasoline production complex in Assiut company for refining petroleum and a number of other developmental projects in Upper Egypt in the presence of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi.
Gazzar said that before 2014, Upper Egypt suffered from a number of problems including limited investments in the economic plans, isolation, urban crowdedness and low quality of life.
He said that, ahead of 2014, 9 per cent of the total investments in the housing sector were directed to Upper Egypt as there were no incentives encouraging investments and contribute to providing new job opportunities.
Gazzar said that the state realised the error in the establishment of some of the Upper Egyptian cities and this resulted in putting this into consideration when setting up the national strategic plan.
The government studied establishing 15 urban ranges including eight of the second generation, and six of the fourth generation, Gazzar said.
Gazzar said that the national strategic plan of Egypt 2052 tackles 15 developmental ranges including eight in Upper Egypt.
The second strategy is on the road network and place linkage, Gazzar said, adding that the production zones in the valley and the Western Desert were linked with the exporting ports.
Gazzar said that the services of drinking water and sanitation were improved and the new roads and axes were promoted.
Gazzar said that the volume of projects implemented in Upper Egypt reached LE86.5 billion within seven years where 2,800 companies have taken part.
The private sector provided 1.4 million job opportunities in seven years, he added.
The budget of the Housing Ministry is divided into three axes including improving the quality of living in Upper Egypt, improving the efficiency of new cities and establishing new cities of the 4th generation, he said.
The “Decent Life” initiative was the magic solution to problems in Upper Egypt, he said, adding that the result of this project reach out directly to 77 per cent of the Upper Egyptians who live in rural areas.
The coverage of sanitation services in Upper Egypt will reach 100 per cent via the initiative, he said.
He said that 11 stations will be inaugurated in Upper Egypt for treating sanitation water and purifying drinking water.
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