Planning Ministry reviews Matrouh Governorate’s "Citizen Investment Plan" for FY 2020/21

Egypt’s Ministry of Planning and Economic Development has reviewed the “Citizen Investment Plan” report, which will be put in place in Matrouh Governorate for fiscal year (FY) 2020/21.

The review comes as part of the ongoing roll-out of citizen investment plans across Egypt’s governorates for the second consecutive year, with the plans aimed at activating community participation and involve citizens in planning and follow-up.

Minister of Planning and Economic Development Hala El-Said said that the number of development projects taking place in Matrouh Governorate under the citizen's investment plan currently stands at 191.

The value of public investments directed to the governorate in the 2020/21 plan stands at EGP 13.3bn, an increase of 34% over the plan for the previous year. The figure also represents 5.1% of the distributed public investments, pointing to a 48% growth rate in investments financed by the public treasury and directed to the governorate.

The minister added that EGP 6.1bn will be directed to the electricity sector, reflecting 46.2% of the funds, with the housing sector and the development of informal settlements receiving EGP 3.5bn, or 26.7%.

This comes in addition to directing investments amounting to EGP 1.7bn for the transport sector, reflecting 12.5% of funds, with the local development sector receiving an amount of EGP 842.6m, or 6.3%. The Matrouh Governorate’s higher education sector will receive EGP 530.5m, or 4%, in addition to investments worth EGP 576.4m for other sectors, at a rate of 4.3%.

The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development report said the most important development goals for the governorate are in the housing sector and the development of informal settlements. It added that this importance is represented in the allocation of about EGP 1.5bn to drinking water and sanitation services.

The report also included the most important electricity sector projects in the FY 2020/21 plan, represented in the construction of Egypt’s first nuclear plant at Dabaa. The plant is expected to provide the electrical energy needed to implement sustainable development plans. It comes along with the completion of the electrical supply for Egypt’s Northwest Coast, the New Alamein City, and Marsa Matrouh by connecting these areas to a 500 kV network.

The report pointed to the development of Egypt’s Northwest Coast region by linking the Matrouh-Al-Jarah-Siwa development triangle, and creating residential communities, pastures, and agricultural areas. The total appropriations listed for this project in the FY 2020/21 plan amount to about EGP 1.8bn.

The report said that, local development sector targets in Matrouh Governorate in the FY 2020/21 plan include the paving of local roads, which will cost an estimated EGP 307m. This is in addition to directing EGP 176.6m to strengthen the governorate's electricity networks.

The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development report on the citizen's investment plan in Matrouh Governorate reviewed the features of the “Dignified Life” initiative in the governorate.

It said that the volume of the initiative's investments in the governorate amounted to EGP 263m, which will benefit 11 villages, or 19,000 citizens.

El-Said said that the launch of the citizen’s plan aims to achieve four main objectives. These are namely: the localisation of sustainable development goals; the spreading of a culture of programmes and performances; enhancing transparency and accountability; and activating community participation.

El-Said said that the plan’s launch comes as part of the state’s continuous diligence to link the planning process with Egypt's Vision 2030. It also aims to localise sustainable development goals (SDGs) as outlined by the UN, and to continue the participatory approach adopted by the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development with all development partners. This will take place in a way that establishes the principles of governance and accountability, and the transparency of the state's development plan.

The minister added that the citizen's plan includes a detailed presentation of all development indicators and projects that are being implemented in each governorate separately. The plan enables the citizen to follow up on the implementation of these projects, whether they are being implemented in his governorate, or his city or village.