Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister, held a meeting at the government headquarters in New Alamein City to discuss increasing the financial allocations dedicated to the maintenance of government facilities and essential state utilities in the general budget. The meeting was attended by Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, Ahmed Kouchouk, Minister of Finance, and officials from both ministries.

Dr. Madbouly pointed out that the meeting aims to review executive measures to increase financial allocations for maintenance operations of government facilities and utilities in the budgets of various ministries and government entities, in light of recent incidents affecting some facilities and infrastructure.

He emphasized that despite the massive investments in infrastructure works, the allocated maintenance budgets do not match the scale of these investments, necessitating an increase in maintenance allocations to preserve these significant investments.

During the meeting, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat presented the ministry’s vision to prioritize and personally follow up daily on periodic and continuous maintenance works according to Cabinet decisions, as well as the operation of essential state utilities including roads, ports, drinking water and sewage stations, power plants, airports, and other facilities.

She also reviewed proposed maintenance operation plans and what has been implemented regarding the provision of necessary funding for maintenance in the budgets of ministries and their affiliated entities, aiming to preserve these facilities and the significant recent advancements in road networks and other essential state utilities.

The Minister of Finance confirmed full readiness to increase investments allocated for maintenance, while working on setting specific controls to ensure maintenance work meets the highest standards and international criteria.

At the end of the meeting, Dr. Madbouly tasked forming a working group from the Ministries of Planning and Finance along with other concerned ministries involved in infrastructure and utilities projects to identify various needs and establish required controls and standards for maintenance to ensure sustainability of projects and preservation of investments.