President Abdel Fattah El Sisi arrived on Saturday 16/09/2023 in the Upper Egypt governorate of Beni Suef and inspected “Sodus Al-Omara”, one of Decent Life Initiative villages.

Thousands of people massed to welcome the President who embarked on a visit to Sodus Al-Omaraa village in Beni Suef to follow up on citizens' living conditions as well as the progress made in the projects pursued under the "Decent Life" rural development initiative.

The President thanked Decent Life volunteers for their efforts.

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi asserted that no one will stop Egypt's march to improve its people's lives despite hard circumstances.

President El Sisi offered special thanks to a volunteer girl and asked her to stand next to him as the girl was crying out of happiness for seeing the president.

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi accepted an invitation by an elderly woman who asked the president to visit her house in Sodus Al-Omaraa village of Beni Suef.

El-Sisi met the lady's family members and had a fatherly conversation with them to check on their living conditions.

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi headed for a funeral marquee set up in the Upper Egypt governorate of Beni Suef to mourn the victims of storm Daniel that wreaked havoc 

El-Sisi offered condolences to people in the Upper Egypt governorate of Beni Suef over losing their beloved in the Libyan hurricane.

He asked the citizens of Beni Suef to observe a minute of silence in memory of the victims of Daniel Storm, which hit some parts of eastern Libya last week.

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi opened via videoconferencing a number of development projects in Beni Suef Governorate.

The inaugurated projects include Alrowad group for manufacturing HDPE (high-density polyethylene) pipes, which has contributed to mega national projects of wheat cultivation like Toskh, El Dabaa and Oweinat, along with providing gas pipes for the projects of "Decent Life" initiative.

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi watched a documentary film on some development projects in Beni Suef during a visit to Sodus Al-Omaraa village.

The film shed light on a number of development projects accomplished as part the presidential "Decent Life" rural development initiative, under which over 4,000 projects have been executed over the past nine years, changing the lives of citizens in Upper Egypt for the better.

The projects covered many sectors, such as agriculture, industry, healthcare, education, urban development, and culture.

The documentary highlighted that Beni Suef has become the "pearl of Upper Egypt" thanks to the numerous projects the governorate has recently witnessed, creating many job opportunities that ensure a decent life for its citizens.

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi announced eight decisions with the aim to alleviate people's burdens caused by the Russian-Ukrainian war and the lingering repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic, as follows:

First: Increase the exceptional cost of living allowance, to become “600” pounds, instead of “300” pounds, for all employees of the state’s administrative apparatus, economic bodies, business sector companies and the public sector.

Second: Increase the minimum wage of sixth grade employees to 4,000 Egyptian pounds from 3,500 Egyptian pounds for all employees of the state’s administrative apparatus and economic bodies, according to the eligibility areas.

Third:  Raise the 25% tax exemption limit to 45,000 pounds from 36,000 pounds for all employees of the state’s administrative apparatus, economic bodies, public business sector companies and the public sector.

Fourth: Increase the financial categories granted to the beneficiaries of “Takaful and Karama" by 15%” for pensioners, for a total of 5 million families.

Fifth: Double the exceptional grant to pensioners and beneficiaries, to 600 pounds from 300 pounds, for a total of 11 million citizens.

Sixth: Expedite the implementation of the increase in the technology allowance for journalists registered the syndicate, in accordance with the relevant allocations in the general budget.

Seventh: Directing the Egyptian Agricultural Bank to launch an initiative to alleviate the burdens of indebted smallholder farmers.

Eighth: Exempt debtors unable to pay the loan installments they owe to the General Authority for Reconstruction Projects & Agricultural Development from paying interest rates and penalty fines until the end of 2024 maximum.

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said the Egyptian state has continued to work assiduously to fulfill its development goals despite all the hard circumstances.

Speech by President El-Sisi during His Visit to Beni Suef

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Distinguished Guests,

Dear people of Beni Suef Governorate,

The Great Egyptian people,

I begin my speech, before this great gathering that includes the dear people of our Upper Egypt, by extending my greetings and expressing my appreciation and pride in every Egyptian who prove every day that they are the sons of an ancient civilization, a virtuous nation, and a strong homeland. This greeting is due to every Egyptian man and woman who work with complete impartiality and devotion to face the challenges for the sake of our dear Egypt.

I assure you all that I am absolutely certain that our great nation is capable of shaping the present, creating the future, cultivating hope, and establishing peace and stability. This has been our craft since history was written on its walls. Our good land was the beginning of history, and it will be the beginning of the future, God willing, with determination and will.

Dear Egyptians,

I would like to tell you, honestly and explicitly, that I fully understand how much the Egyptian families suffer in the face of the burden of living because of the negative economic effects of the complex global crisis of the coronavirus pandemic that also have been intensified after the “Russian-Ukrainian” war.

I also want to stress that we have spared no effort to contain these negative effects, with the capabilities and potentials we possess. Had it not been for our prior preparations, including the effective economic measures, the effects of this crisis would have been multiplied and impactful. However, thanks to Allah, and with careful scientific and practical management, we succeeded in dealing with the crisis and overcoming its critical stages, without the wheel of achievement stopping or development plans faltering. We are only few steps away from achieving a breakthrough.

In parallel with our efforts to achieve economic development, we were willing to achieve a similar situation on the political level. I believe that the vitality of the Egyptian society, with all its components, is a positive addition to the state, and an indication of its wealth and ability to innovate and create.

Since I believe in the ability of Egyptians to find a common ground bringing them together, I launched the National Dialogue. It is the call that brought together the entire Egyptian fabric. The first package of the outcomes of this dialogue encouraged us to continue it.

That is why my response was immediate to what was agreed upon by the political and societal forces participating in the dialogue. I issued directives to the government to study the outcomes, develop mechanisms for their implementation, and begin activating these mechanisms.

The state's efforts have also doubled to enhance stability and internal security in light of the growing regional threats resulting from the escalation of conflicts in neighbouring countries. Such conflicts have repercussions on Egypt’s national security. Believe me, the state and its concerned agencies are making unremitting efforts to deal with these threats, at great cost, so that the internal situation remains stable.

The Great People of Egypt,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Distinguished Guests,

The Egyptian citizens remain the heroes of our national narrative. Achieving the quality of their life, meeting their requirements, and preserving their gains and capabilities remain our ultimate goal. The Egyptians, all Egyptians, are in my heart.

I work for the love of Allah and for them. I seek to provide them with a decent means of living.
Therefore, the state’s measures that have been taken for the benefit of the citizen were the greatest common denominator for all its institutions. Perhaps the national project for developing the Egyptian countryside, “Decent Life”, is the best indication that the ordinary citizens, from the most needy groups, are the primary beneficiaries of the returns of development and economic reforms.

And I would like to tell you, plainly, that I hear the voice of the Egyptians. Their dreams are the same as mine, and their hopes are no different than mine. As I feel their needs and understand them, I have decided to direct the government and relevant state institutions to implement the following:

First - Raising the exceptional cost of living allowance to 600 Egyptian Pounds, instead of 300 Egyptian Pounds, for all employees of the state’s administrative apparatus, economic bodies, business sector companies and the public sector.

Second - Raising the minimum wage for the sixth-grade employees to 4,000 Egyptian Pounds, instead of 3,500 Egyptian Pounds, for all employees of the state’s administrative apparatus and economic bodies, according to the eligibility areas.

Third- Raising the tax exemption threshold by 25%, from 36,000 Egyptian Pounds to 45,000 Egyptian Pounds, for all employees of the state’s administrative apparatus, economic bodies, business sector companies, and the public sector.

Fourth - Increasing the financial categories granted to the beneficiaries of “Takaful and Karama Initiative” by 15% for pensioners, with a total of 5 million families.

Fifth- Doubling the exceptional grant to pensioners and beneficiaries, from 300 Egyptian Pounds to 600 Egyptian Pounds, with a total of 11 million citizens.

Sixth – Implementing, expeditiously, the technology allowance increase for journalists registered in the syndicate, in accordance with the relevant allocations in the general budget.

Seventh - Having the Agricultural Bank of Egypt launch an initiative to alleviate the burden on small peasants and farmers, natural persons who are owing the bank, before January 1, 2022.

Eighth- Exempting those who cannot pay interests, and fines for delaying the payment of installments due to the General Authority for Reconstruction Projects and Agricultural Development, no later than the end of 2024.

The Great People of Egypt,

Our dear Egypt will remain the point of convergence that unites the hearts of Egyptians to love it, their arms to build it, and their dreams to maintain its strength and glory. The will of the Egyptians will remain the secret of our strength, our unity will remain the guarantee of our survival. Our gathering depends on the strength of our dreams and our hope in having a homeland worthy of its heritage, the efforts of our present, and the brightness of our future. Egypt will remain our most important thing.

Long live Egypt, long live Egypt, long live Egypt.

May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon you.”