Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly outlined government plans to improve living standards, expand employment opportunities and strengthen public services during Egypt Forum 2026, held from October 19 to 24 under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The six-day forum, held under the theme "A Look at Today, a Vision for Tomorrow," was attended by government officials, experts and citizens to discuss economic challenges, development projects and their impact on everyday life.
Throughout the event, Madbouly addressed public concerns about education, housing, social protection, energy prices and economic reform, explaining the government's spending priorities and plans to increase household incomes. Madbouly said education remained a government priority, with efforts focused on reducing classroom overcrowding, addressing teacher shortages and improving teaching standards.
He discussed reforms to secondary education, including the introduction of the baccalaureate system, which provides students with additional opportunities to improve their examination results. On urban development, the prime minister said Egypt's national plan through 2052 included 39 new cities, with 27 already completed or under development.
He estimated that between 14 million and 15 million people currently live in new cities, explaining that the projects aim to reduce pressure on overcrowded urban areas and create employment opportunities. Madbouly said the government had built more than two million housing units since 2014 and developed unsafe residential areas previously occupied by more than 350,000 families.
He added that the first phase of the Decent Life rural development initiative covered 1,477 villages, with investments exceeding EGP 450 billion. The government is also preparing housing programs that include rental units, social housing and homes for middle-income families, with delivery planned over the next four years.
Addressing the rising cost of living, Madbouly said the government remained committed to protecting vulnerable households and improving the distribution of subsidies. He said approximately 4.7 million families currently receive support through the Takaful and Karama program, which has assisted around 8.2 million families since its introduction.