Cairo: Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly said President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has directed all governorates to expand green spaces and increase tree planting, stressing that the directive applies nationwide, not just Cairo, where implementation has already begun. Madbouly made the remarks while chairing a government meeting at its headquarters in the New Administrative Capital, during which the government reviewed the outcome of a meeting held to follow up on the implementation of President Sisi's directives to adopt the "Greening Cairo" project.

According to State Information Service Egypt, Madbouly stated that the minister of local development and environment had been instructed to accelerate tree planting along major roads and axes across all governorates and ensure that trees are not cut down. Madbouly also directed the local development minister to coordinate with all governorates to adopt the same approach by planting trees on vacant land, with the assistance of specialized consultants to determine suitable plants and species.

The prime minister also reviewed the outcome of his recent visit to the Suez Canal Economic Zone, where nine new factories and expansion projects were inaugurated with investments totaling $85 million. The projects are expected to create 2,000 jobs for young Egyptians entering the labor market, he said. The visit highlighted several positive developments, foremost among them increased local production at the factories. The local component ranges from 40% to 95% at some facilities, while exports account for between 70% and 100% of their output, Madbouly said.

He reiterated remarks made at a press conference following the visit, saying his tours of factories go beyond inspection and observation to provide an opportunity to hear directly from investors and manufacturers about their demands, challenges, and expansion plans. Madbouly also highlighted a number of positive economic indicators, particularly the Central Bank of Egypt's announcement that net international reserves rose to $57.21 billion at the end of August 2026. He said the increase reflects the efforts of the Central Bank, in coordination with the government and its agencies, to manage fiscal and monetary policies and achieve targeted outcomes that directly support national economic growth.