The Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation Meets with the President and Leadership of CAPMAS to Follow up on Efforts to Develop the Agency and Enhance its Capabilities

Launching the sixth version of the Economic Census before the end of the current fiscal year.

The new census will include data released for the first time on e-commerce, outsourcing, the green economy, and industrial zones.

Developing the agency's website to facilitate data accessibility and launching Egypt's statistical indicators portal.

H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat: Evidence- and data-based policies are essential for achieving economic development

 Investment in the production and auditing of data is an investment in the future.

 

Major General Khairat Barakat: The Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) is keen on developing its capabilities to enhance the effectiveness of decision-making processes.

 

H.E. Dr. A. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, held an extensive meeting with Major General Khayrat Barakat, president of the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), and the agency's leadership.

 

The meeting touched on various work areas within the agency, statistical reports, and censuses that are currently being worked on, as well as efforts to develop the agency's technological infrastructure and digital transformation plan. This is aimed at strengthening the agency’s role in providing audited statistical data and information, which impacts development efforts and enhances the decision-making process.

 

The meeting also addressed developments in the censuses and surveys conducted by CAPMAS, including the sixth Economic Census, which is scheduled to be launched before the end of the current fiscal year.

 

The meeting discussed preparations for starting the 2027 Population, Housing, and Establishment Census, the workforce survey (which is the main source for employment and unemployment data to measure labor market indicators across the governorates), the annual employment and wages survey, as well as surveys being conducted by the agency for national entities, such as the Sports Activities Survey for Egyptian Families in cooperation with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the availability and development of services provided by the "Haya Karima" initiative's first phase for Egyptian families, in cooperation with the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation.

 

Evidence-based Economic Decisions

 

The Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation emphasized the importance of accurate and continuously updated data in supporting decision-making processes to achieve sustainable economic development. Such data also contributes to formulating effective policies based on evidence across various development sectors, identifying national priorities, and directing resources to the most needy sectors. This ensures optimal resource utilization and enhances the effectiveness of efforts.

 

H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat pointed out that enhancing the state's efforts to increase economic growth rates and boost investments in priority sectors, in line with Egypt's Vision 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), fundamentally relies on the availability of accurate data and statistics. These data improve the process of economic policy development, especially given the insights provided by surveys and censuses regarding population growth rates, demographic distribution, economic activities, labor markets, and income levels by geographical distribution, which all contribute to driving economic development.

 

For his part, Major General Khairat Barakat, president of CAPMAS, welcomed H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, and congratulated her on the renewed trust from political leadership and her appointment as Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation. He affirmed the agency's commitment to developing its capabilities to provide more updated data through its surveys and regular censuses, conducted with national efforts, to enhance the effectiveness of decision-making processes in Egypt.

 

Egyptian Family Health Survey

 

Major General Khairat Barakat reviewed the results of some of the censuses and surveys conducted by CAPMAS, including population growth data. He pointed out that, for the first time since 2007, Egypt’s population growth in 2024 would not exceed 2 million people, recording a figure of 1.968 million compared to 2.045 million, marking a decrease of 77,000 births. This reflects the state's efforts in family planning and reducing population growth. He also mentioned that the agency will conduct the results of the second version of the Egyptian Family Health Survey in mid this year.

 

Sixth Economic Census of Egypt

 

The preparations for the economic surveys were discussed, with particular attention to the sixth version of Egypt’s Economic Census. It is expected to be released before the end of the current fiscal year, after the completion of data collection and the ongoing review of the final results.

 

The president of CAPMAS emphasized the importance of the census, which will provide detailed data about the structure and characteristics of economic activities in Egypt, the levels of change, and the contribution of each activity to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). He pointed out that this new census will offer data for the first time on the contribution of e-commerce, outsourcing, and the green economy to Egypt's economy, as well as updated data on industrial zones, in line with the state's efforts in these areas.

 

The economic census serves as a comprehensive statistical source for the information needed to plan for economic and social development and assess conditions. It is also used for building national accounts and monitoring GDP, both at the national level and locally for each governorate. It provides detailed data on the structure and characteristics of various economic activities and their geographical distribution, as well as data on the value of inputs and outputs for each economic activity at the national and regional levels, measuring their contribution to GDP.

 

Preparation for the 2027 Population, Housing, and Establishments Census

 

On another front, CAPMAS is preparing to start the 15th Population, Housing, and Establishments Census during the year 2027, based on international recommendations and modern methodologies endorsed by the United Nations Statistical Commission.

 

The president of CAPMAS also referred to several regular surveys being conducted, including the income, expenditure, and consumption survey, which provides the necessary data to measure the living standards of Egyptian families and poverty levels at the governorate level. Additionally, the workforce survey, which serves as the primary source for employment and unemployment data, helps measure labor market indicators in Egypt. Another important survey is the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which is one of the most important indicators published by the agency, as it is linked to citizens' daily lives and serves as the main gauge for measuring inflation.

 

Major General Khairat Barakat also highlighted the significance of the Egyptian Family Health Survey, which aims to evaluate and shape the country's population and health programs. It serves as a primary reference for addressing population problems and controlling population growth. He confirmed that all these surveys and research have resulted in data and figures used for initiatives such as the "Haya Karima" initiative, the National Project for the Development of Egyptian Families, and the National Population and Development Strategy.

 

Developing the Information Infrastructure

 

On another note, CAPMAS leadership presented several ongoing initiatives and plans to develop the agency's information infrastructure, including updating its website in collaboration with the Digital Transformation Department of the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation. They also discussed the efforts to qualify personnel to manage databases and keep pace with developments in digital transformation and artificial intelligence. The meeting covered mechanisms for improving the statistical system to address the data gap, generalizing the use of statistics in national policies, planning, budgeting processes, and performance indicators.

 

During the meeting, the development of the agency's website was showcased, which is designed according to international and national standards, reflecting the agency’s modern identity while ensuring easy access to required data. This will provide a user-friendly experience that meets the needs of various user groups and guarantees full accessibility. Furthermore, the latest technologies in data security were applied to enhance the agency's competitive edge among statistical agencies and global organizations. The Egypt Statistical Indicators Portal was also presented, which aims to display, analyze, and interpret the statistical data and indicators produced by CAPMAS to support planning, policymaking, and decision-making in various fields to achieve sustainable development at the national level by providing a comprehensive database containing results from all censuses, surveys, and research carried out by the agency over the years.

The Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation Meets with the President and Leadership of CAPMAS