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NBE launches NEWFin to promote women’s financial inclusion

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NBE has officially introduced NEWFin, an innovative initiative aimed at reducing the gender gap in leadership roles within Ethiopia’s financial sectors to enhance women’s financial inclusion.

Developed in collaboration with the World Bank, the network seeks to increase women’s involvement in the finance sector, fostering an environment conducive to their contribution to the country’s economic growth.

The launch of NEWFin was celebrated at the NBE/Gender Innovation Lab Conference on March 28, 2024. Efforts to enhance women’s inclusivity in finance have been ongoing since the end of 2021, with the implementation of a comprehensive financial environment strategy. According to Mamo Mihretu, Governor of NBE, Ethiopia is committed to creating an inclusive financial environment that ensures equal participation and utilization by both men and women in the financial sector.

Planning Ministry Unveils Giza’s $5.3 Billion Investment Plan for Fiscal Year 2023/2024

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The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development has announced the commencement of publishing a series of reports reviewing the Citizen Investment Plan for all Egyptian governorates for the fifth consecutive year. This initiative aims to raise awareness among citizens regarding the directions and priorities of the sustainable development plan for the fiscal year 23/2024 and its role in achieving Egypt’s Vision 2030. The ministry initiates this series with Giza Governorate, coinciding with the celebration of the governorate’s national day, observed annually on March 31st.

Dr. Hala El-Said, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, emphasized the utmost importance of ensuring citizens’ participation in development decision-making, with human welfare at the center of development efforts. She highlighted the goals of achieving spatial justice, reducing geographical disparities, empowering local communities economically and socially, and providing basic services across all geographic areas to foster genuine societal development. Dr. El-Said underscored that these principles align with Law No. 18 of 2022 on State General Planning, which emphasizes enhancing stakeholder participation in the development process and promoting scientific research and innovation to achieve balanced, geographically, and sectorally sustainable development. She further emphasized that citizen participation in the development process necessitates access to detailed data on state development plans, enabling them to monitor implementation periodically within a comprehensive and integrated framework to enhance participatory planning.

Regarding the Citizen Investment Plan for Giza Governorate, Dr. El-Said explained that it comprises 586 developmental projects, with public investments totaling 82.7 billion pounds for the fiscal year 23/2024, representing an 8.8% increase compared to the 22/2023 plan.

Concerning the sectoral distribution of targeted public investments in Giza Governorate for the fiscal year 23/2024, the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development report highlighted that investments of 35 billion pounds are allocated to the transportation sector, accounting for 42%, followed by the housing sector with 32 billion pounds, accounting for 39%. Investments in the higher education sector amount to 5.6 billion pounds, representing 7%, while the antiquities sector receives 2.5 billion pounds, constituting 3%, and the pre-university education sector receives 464.8 million pounds, representing 1%. Other sectors receive investments totaling 6.9 billion pounds, accounting for 8%, in addition to projects under the Egyptian Rural Development Project “Decent Life.”

The report detailed that the first phase of the “Decent Life” initiative targets 42 villages in Giza Governorate, with a population of 801,000, including 48% females. The initiative’s projects, aligned with all sustainable development goals, encompass the establishment of 124 residential buildings for first-care families, 6 social units, 11 agricultural service complexes, 16 ambulances, 37 health units, 2550 classrooms, 86 schools, 3 family development centers, a rehabilitation center, 5 drinking water stations, 42 sewage projects, 6 treatment plants, 42 mobile network towers, 43 youth centers, 11 government service complexes, 34 post offices, 6 police stations, 2 fire stations, in addition to canal rehabilitation and lining projects, road paving projects, bridge construction, markets, parking lots, and electricity projects.

The report further outlined the plan’s focus on implementing 121 developmental projects in the housing services sector in Giza Governorate. Key targets in this sector include directing approximately 2.7 billion pounds towards drinking water and sanitation services, implementing 55 projects in higher education, including equipping existing educational facilities at Cairo University, and executing 9 projects in the transportation sector, such as rehabilitating the subway’s second line and establishing the railway complex in Bashitil.

The Citizen Plan for Giza Governorate for FY 23/2024 also encompasses targets for the Egyptian Family Development Program, aiming to improve population indicators by reducing the average dropout rate from primary and preparatory education, increasing women’s participation in the workforce, and reducing the illiteracy rate.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Planning and Economic Development – Egypt.

Meeting between the Indonesian Ambassador and the Sudanese Minister of Health to discuss plans to send Indonesian medical aid amounting to USD 1 million to Sudan

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Following up on the decision from the Ministerial Meeting regarding the Delivery of Emergency Medical Assistance to the Republic of Sudan, on Friday (29/3) Indonesian Ambassador Sunarko held a coordination meeting with the Sudanese Minister of Health, Dr. Haitham Mohamed Ibrahim, as well as officials from the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sudan, are located at the office of the Ministry of Health of Sudan in Port Sudan.

The meeting discussed preparations for sending emergency medical aid from the Indonesian Government containing medical equipment and medicines in accordance with requests from the Sudanese Government with a total value of up to USD 1 million. The aid is planned to be sent from Jakarta to Port Sudan using the Garuda Indonesia airline. The humanitarian aid mission delegation will be led directly by the Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Lt. Gen. TNI Suharyanto who will arrive on Thursday, April 4 2024.

Indonesian Ambassador Sunarko said that this assistance was a reflection of Indonesia’s brotherhood and concern for Sudan and hoped that this assistance could ease the burden felt by the Sudanese people due to the armed conflict.

Minister of Health Dr. Haitham expressed his appreciation to the Indonesian Government for this ongoing assistance. Even though they are far apart, Indonesia and Sudan have very close relations. On this occasion, the Minister of Health also expressed his hope that coordination between the two countries could continue and have a positive impact on all parties.​

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Khartoum, Sudan.

Egypt: President El-Sisi Reviews Work Progress in ‘Egypt’s Future’ Project

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Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with Adviser to the President for Urban Planning, Major General Amir Sayed Ahmed, and Executive Director of Egypt’s Future Authority for Sustainable Development, Colonel Dr. Bahaa El-Ghanam.

Spokesman for the Presidency, Counselor Dr. Ahmed Fahmy, said during the meeting President El-Sisi reviewed work progress in the “Egypt’s Future” project in the New Delta, which aims to provide high-quality agricultural products at affordable prices for citizens and export the surplus.

The President was also briefed on progress in the implementation of various relevant sub-projects, notably the agricultural greenhouse project in the Lahoun area in Fayoum Governorate; the Minya and Beni Suef projects for land reclamation; the Sanabel Sono project in Aswan; the Dakhla region project in southern Egypt; and the industrial and logistics zone in the Dabaa Axis in the New Delta.

The meeting also touched on mechanisms to support these projects, including efforts to provide water for irrigation and construction of silos for storing grains and seeds. Discussions also reviewed work underway to harness modern technology in land reclamation, development of irrigation systems and agricultural mechanization.

President El-Sisi gave directives to provide the necessary requirements for the project, as part of the state’s plan to expand the agricultural land area, increase agricultural production, which is a key pillar of the Egyptian economy, and achieve a significant leap to ensure the state’s ability to guarantee food security of the Egyptian people, and increase agricultural exports to boost efforts toward increasing national income.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.