Local competitiveness indicators stimulate development in many countries: USAID Deputy Mission Director

Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Hala El-Said has launched the Egyptian governorate competitiveness index.

 

This is the first integrated and multi-dimensional index launched to monitor the growth of the inclusive and long-term economy in the Egyptian governorates, the minister highlighted.

 

The index will present substantial evidence of suitable investment environments in each governorate, in addition to the regional integration process. This will boost governorates' competitiveness, she added.

 

During her speech at the opening session, El-Said noted that the index aims to identify Egyptian governorates' advantages and competitiveness to fill in their development gaps.

 

It will act as a tool to assist government decision-makers in making decisions about local resource privatization to achieve balanced development, she added.

 

El-Said referred to the current crises facing countries, which impede the achievement of sustainable development goals under the 2030 Agenda.

 

She stressed that all countries need accurate scientific measures to assess the effectiveness of sustainable development plans being implemented at the local level. This is to ensure that these departments are actively involved in advancing growth and achieving comprehensive and healthy growth.

 

This requires identifying the strengths and weaknesses of development policies in each administrative unit, according to El-Said

 

El-Said confirmed that the Egyptian state pays increasing attention to localizing sustainable development goals. This is because of their supportive impact on inclusive and sustainable growth and balanced regional development. They are among the main pillars of Egypt's Vision 2030.

 

The Minister of Local Development, Major General Hisham Abdel Ghani Abdulaziz Amna affirmed that in implementation of the directives of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the Egyptian government has placed achieving inclusive, sustainable, and comprehensive growth at the top of its development agenda, and has set "creating a diversified, competitive, knowledge-based economy" as a main goal among its six goals in Egypt's Vision 2030.

 

He indicated that these efforts were based on integrating sustainable development goals into local plans. This was accomplished by translating Egypt's vision into strategic plans for some governorates until 2030. It was also by monitoring progress toward those goals by preparing voluntary local reports.

 

As noted by USAID Deputy Mission Director Margaret Sancho the cooperation between USAID and the Egyptian government and hundreds of local and international partners from the public, private, and civil society sectors stimulates economic growth, reduces poverty, and provides water, health, and education services throughout the country.

 

She explained that one of the pillars of Egypt's Vision 2030 is to increase Egyptian economic competitiveness, pointing to applying this at the governorate level and stimulating sustainable development goals at the local level through policies and reforms that lead to increased investment and economic growth.