Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli on Wednesday reviewed efforts to develop Egypt’s cash-based commodity subsidy system at a meeting attended by Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk, Supply and Internal Trade Minister Sherif Farouk and officials from relevant authorities.
Madbouli said the move to modernise the subsidy system is part of global efforts to promote social justice and give citizens greater freedom to choose goods based on their actual needs.
Farouk outlined key elements of the new system, stressing that its aim is to improve the delivery of subsidies to eligible families, expand their choices and increase the system’s efficiency, rather than reduce the value of subsidies.
Under the proposed system, the list of subsidised goods would be expanded beyond basic items such as cooking oil, sugar and pasta to include a wider range of food products, including meat, grains, tea, milk, lentils, eggs, beans and poultry.
Farouk said the new approach seeks to address challenges under the current in-kind subsidy system, including limited choices and losses and leakages.
Beneficiaries would receive the actual value of the goods available to them, giving them greater flexibility to purchase what they need.
The meeting also reviewed a proposed media campaign to explain the new system, its objectives and benefits to citizens and address their questions ahead of its implementation.
