Sunday, May 18, 2025

Egypt Unveils Ambitious $3.2 Billion Citizen Investment Plan for Cairo in 2024/25

Mona Yousef

In a landmark move toward transparent, participatory governance, Egypt’s Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation has unveiled its 2024/25 “Citizen Investment Plan” for the capital city of Cairo—an ambitious initiative channeling more than EGP 100 billion ($3.2 billion) into 1,284 development projects.

The capital city alone commands 21% of all public investment allocations, positioning it as a centerpiece in Egypt’s push to localize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and bridge long-standing urban development gaps.

Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Egypt’s Planning Minister and an economist known for modernizing public policy discourse, emphasized the government’s focus on the individual as the “nucleus of development” under the revamped Egypt Vision 2030.

“Transparency is no longer optional,” Al-Mashat said in the ministry’s press release. “By sharing detailed investment plans with citizens across every governorate, we empower communities to track progress, propose priorities, and hold the state accountable.”

Strategic Spending in Cairo: Infrastructure, Education, and Health

The lion’s share of Cairo’s 2024/25 public investment will fuel critical infrastructure, including:

  • Transport sector: EGP 38.5 billion (~$1.2B)
    • Major projects: Completion of the electric train line (Adly Mansour to the New Administrative Capital), rehabilitation of Metro Line 1, and the ongoing monorail system.
  • Housing sector: EGP 16.5 billion
    • Expansion of affordable housing in Badr and 15 May cities, and enhancements to water and sewage networks.
  • Education sector: EGP 15.8 billion combined
    • Pre-university education will see the construction or renovation of 1,506 classrooms.
    • Higher education projects include completion of the French-Egyptian University and major medical complexes tied to Ain Shams and Cairo University.
  • Health sector: EGP 4.5 billion
    • Priorities include upgrading Helwan General Hospital and expanding the Nasser Institute Medical City.
  • Local development: EGP 3.4 billion
    • Urban regeneration projects in low-income areas such as Al-Asmarat and Al-Mahrousa, alongside critical infrastructure repairs in southern and northern Cairo.

A National Plan with Local Roots

Cairo’s blueprint is part of a broader EGP 1.987 trillion national development strategy, split nearly evenly between public (50.3%) and private (49.7%) investments. The government targets a 4.2% economic growth rate, with unemployment held at 7% and investment rates climbing to 13%.

Significantly, the national plan earmarks 14% of all public investment for Egypt’s underserved southern governorates, reinforcing the government’s stated goal of balanced spatial development.

“Citizen Plan” as a Model for Participatory Development

The release of the “Citizen Investment Plan” marks a notable pivot toward inclusive, transparent policy-making in a region often criticized for top-down governance.

Through platforms like the “Share 2030” mobile app, Egyptians can now access governorate-specific data, track project implementation, and submit feedback—an initiative designed to deepen public trust in government.

 

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