The Cabinet Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC) said eradication of slum areas and providing a decent life for citizens has topped the state’s priorities over the past phase along with raising the standard of living and providing basic services for every citizen.

This came in the IDSC infograph which said that Egypt will be declared free from unsafe areas by the end of 2021 and will also be free from unplanned areas by 2030 as part of the state’s efforts to provide safe housing for Egyptians.

The report sheds light on the comprehensive strategy outlined by the state to develop the slum and unplanned areas in the various governorates through establishing new urban communities.

The report said 1.2 million citizens benefited from the state’s development of unsafe areas which amounted to 357 areas in 25 governorates. The total cost of the development hit EGP 63 billion, said the report, adding that some 246,000 housing units have been set up over the past phase.

It also noted that Egypt will end the phenomena of unplanned construction by 2030 as the number of unplanned areas in the various governorates reached to 152,000 feddans which need an infrastructure development cost of EGP 318 billion.

The report reviewed the most important housing projects established by the state over the past few years including Asmarat Project, El Mahrousa, Rawdet October, Bashayer El Kheir, Tal El Aqareb among others.

In May 2016, President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi promised to move all those living in slums to new flats over three years as part of an ambitious project expected to cost -then- about LE 14 billion ($790 million); however, the budget was upgraded to LE 38 billion.

Source: State Information Service Egypt