Cabinet to review aspects of the government policy statement
Egypt, Politics, 1/3/2001

The cabinet will review, at its meeting tomorrow, the guidelines of the government's policy statement which will be given by Prime Minister Atef Ebeid before the People's Assembly on January 21.

In this statement, Ebeid will declare the government commitment to accomplish 31 achievements in the new year, with the aim of providing services to citizens, backing economic development, and maintaining subsidy for the limited income categories in achievement of the principle of observing the social dimension.

Ebeid said the government would expand the base of beneficiaries from the special support pension to reach one million citizens, to provide productive and genuine job opportunities for youth, to increase subsidy for strategic commodities, medicines, salaries, wages, pensions, and supporting farmers, junior producers and craftsmen.

He said each ministry would submit a briefing on accomplishments it could achieve in the new year.

He indicated that the government's policy statement would focus on the guidelines of the speech given by President Mubarak before the joint session of the People's Assembly and the Shura Council at the beginning of the new parliamentary session.

He said the new budget for the year 2001-2002 includes more than LE 120 billion worth of public spending.

He said the new budget would provide the financial burdens resulting from achieving the principle of observing the social dimension.

At the economic level, the government's policy statement would clarify the government's plan for pushing forward the wheel of development according to a feasible program.

He said the government would submit a program for expanding exports and for achieving the target growth rate of 56%.

He said the government would also offer more facilities for investors.

He said the statement would devote a special section for economic and social legislation's whose bills will be submitted by the government to the People's Assembly this session.

In the meantime, Ebeid met with local exporters to discuss means of enhancing trade with Iraq and to review the provisions of an executive protocol for establishing free trade between the two countries.

"The meeting tackled obstacles hindering exports to Iraq such as transport, payment and export credit problems," Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade Youssef Boutros Ghali said following the meeting.

Ghali said he expected the Iraqi government to sign a draft for a bilateral free trade agreement later this month. He expressed hope that the agreement would boost Egyptian exports to Iraq.

It would also facilitate Egyptian migrant workers seeking temporary or permanent employment in Iraq.

Egyptian exports to Iraq reached $ 1.3 billion between October 1999 and October 2000, up from just $ 225 million the year before.

This figure is expected to top $ 2 billion in the coming year. Local exports to Iraq included foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and building materials.

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