Minister of Local Development Manal Awad highlighted Egypt’s commitment to enhancing public services and facilities across governorates to improve citizens’ quality of life through locally implemented development plans, Invest-Gate reports.

Speaking at the World Urban Forum in Cairo, Awad emphasized that local funding is integral to sustaining the infrastructure demands of Egypt’s expanding communities.

The session, “Mobilizing Local Resources and Financing Strategies to Support Urban Development: The Qena Experience,” brought together key stakeholders, including Qena Governor Khaled Abd El Halim and public finance experts from UN-Habitat, the World Bank, and Malaysia’s Klang Municipality.

Moreover, Awad noted the state’s direct financial contributions from the national budget to essential development projects, although these funds alone cannot cover the rising infrastructure and maintenance needs. She stressed the importance of enhancing local revenues through fiscal decentralization, allowing governorates to manage their resources better and fund their development priorities.

Furthermore, the minister cited structural challenges despite local governance laws enabling municipalities to generate income. Among them are the need to approve local financial regulations, establish a strong institutional framework within municipalities, and establish a reliable project and asset management database across each governorate.

Notably, Awad discussed steps to support local revenue generation, such as forming committees within municipalities to implement revenue plans and empowering provinces with specialized teams to monitor financial growth. She affirmed Egypt’s commitment to building a robust local financing strategy as a pathway to sustainable urban development.