Egypt's House of Representatives in Week

This week, the Egyptian House of Representatives held many sessions including two main plenary ones, in addition to discussing several law drafts.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives Hanafy El-Gebaly sent a message to President Abdel Fattah Sisi congratulating him on Ramadan.

Also, he mourned the death of iconic journalist Makram Mohamed Ahmed who passed away yesterday.

Regarding the main sessions, the first one witnessed scheduling the final dates of discussing a number of requests filed by several members of the parliament concerned with supporting farmers, developing the local industry and enhancing the use of technology, and establishing training the employees at the state's administrative authorities.

Also, the members who will be responsible for conducting the discussion were selected.

On the other hand, several draft laws submitted by the government were referred to the concerned specialized committees in the parliament to be discussed including the draft of the new state's budget, 55 mega-projects budgets funded by the public economic authorities, in addition to two law drafts submitted by several members.

In the same context, the parliament approved with the majority of its members two presidential orders: the first related to a loan request from Egypt to the World Bank for Reconstruction and Development for funding a project competing against the air pollution in Great Cairo estimated at $ 200 million, and the second is related to approving a $ 500,000 grant from the African Bank for Development for funding a project of urgent humanitarian aids for people who suffered from the negative impacts of COVID-19.

Next, Dr. Fakhry El Feki, the head of the Committee of Planning and Budget, reviewed the report of the committee, praising the state's efforts in competing against the pandemic, and the state's economic reform program that shared in controlling the negative economic impacts of the COVID-19.

On his part, Dr. Ahmed Kouchouk, the Vice Minister of Finance, asserted the continued coordination between the ministry and the House of Representatives during the Coronavirus crisis. He added that Egypt's economic performance amid the pandemic is very good comparing to the countries that collapsed economically due to the pandemic.

Kouchouk highlighted that the deficit levels reached 7.9% of the GDP, asserting that the ministry is targeting to reduce this percentage, and reducing the levels of the public debt.

In the same context, Dr. Hala Al-Saeed, the Minister of Planning and Economic Development, underscored in her speech that Egypt adopted a strict plan of economic reforms to support the Egyptian economy amid any crisis.

Therefore, she indicated that the government's performance was very good, and it achieved many successes such as declining the rates of unemployment in Egypt, reducing inflation, and stability of prices.

Regarding the second main session, the House referred five draft laws from the government to the concerned specialized committees in the parliament to be discussed such as a law draft for estimating the minimum amount of the periodic allowance for employees, a law draft for establishing a syndicate for technologists, a law draft dedicated to improving the quality of Egyptian cotton.

Furthermore, the parliament approved the final drafts of the balance sheets of the state, the public economic authorities, the National Authority of Military Production, and the State Treasure.

Finally, the Speaker of the House of Representatives listened to the members' recommendations such as restricting the international and local loans, restructuring the losing corporations, and tightening control over the public economic authorities.

In addition, the final sheets of several ministries bodies such as the Ministry of Justice, and the final sheet of the House of Representatives were approved.