$975M to fund development of Upper Egypt: Min.

CAIRO, May 13 (MENA) - Minister of Local Development Abu Bakr El Guindy said the ministry is working on the local development program in Upper Egypt in cooperation with the World Bank and a number of ministries concerned.

He underlined that the program costs $975 million, including a $500 million loan from the bank and $475 million to be paid by the government.

During a seminar held by the Egyptian Center for Economic Studies in cooperation with the Canadian Embassy in Cairo to launch the Egyptian Women Entrepreneurship Guide, the Director of the Affairs of the Local Development Minister's Office Hamza Darwish said in a speech on behalf of Guindy, that the ministry will conduct training courses for local council members.

This will happen in cooperation with the Ministry of Youth, within the framework of the ministry's plan to train them on all the activities of the local councils, which would contribute to the development of society.

Darwish underlined that the participation of women is important to strengthen their presence in various local councils throughout Egypt.

He underscored that the 2014 constitution provides support for decentralization, both financially and politically, adding that the law regulates local council units, as it allocates a quarter of the council seats to women.