Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said on Monday the state seeks to put Egypt on the list of advanced countries in terms of production and distribution of renewable energy and linkage with neighbouring countries.
The president was commenting on a speech delivered by Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohamed Shaker during the inauguration of a number of national and strategic projects in the fields of electricity and energy in Upper Egypt topped by the Benban Solar Park, the biggest clean solar energy project in the world.
The president said that Egypt agreed with neighbouring countries on electricity linkage after efforts exerted to develop infrastructure in that field.
He said the government managed to spend LE150 billion on the electricity sector – in all parts of country except Upper Egypt – during the past five years.
Sisi said he did not accept some proposals on increasing salaries between LE100 and LE150 and that he preferred supplying services including electricity and sanitary drainage to citizens.
The added the state spends over LE1.1 trillion on Upper Egypt annually at a time when the government still works on providing good services to citizens.
President Sisi underlined the importance of replacing old electricity metres with pre-paid ones in the Decent Life initiative in 34 centres in Upper Egypt to end citizens’ complaints about misreading of electricity consumption in the old metres.
The president said the government continued to develop the electricity sector and called on media outlets to highlight the state’s efforts in that respect.
He also called on universities and institutes to organise tours for their students to get acquainted with the achievements on the ground, pointing out that such a progress boosts the morale of citizens and increases their trust in the state’s ability to proceed towards the best.
President Sisi described as unique the Benban Solar Park project operated by Upper Egyptian citizens.
