Egypt will postpone the construction of 20 road projects and slow down the implementation of other government developments as part of an announced rationalisation plan to reduce petroleum consumption and lower the state’s import bill.
Minister of Transport Kamel Al-Wazir announced the suspension of the 20 roads, stating that specific criteria guided the selection of the delayed projects. Infrastructure developments that are nearing completion or hold strategic importance will continue to be executed, Al-Wazir said.
Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities Randa El–Menshawy confirmed her ministry’s commitment to the list of postponed projects, noting that the rationalisation plan aims to reduce the country’s import bill in light of the current global crisis.
The government has adopted a package of consumption rationalisation measures to counter the repercussions of regional tensions, according to Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi. He noted that the ministry is closely monitoring the implementation of these measures to reduce reliance on imports and alleviate the burden on the general budget, while continuing to provide essential petroleum needs for both production projects and citizens’ consumption.
The project delays were reviewed during a meeting held today at the government headquarters in the New Administrative Capital. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly used the gathering to follow up on the status of rationalising petroleum consumption across ongoing government projects to ensure the optimal use of energy resources.
Concluding the meeting, Madbouly directed the establishment of a permanent coordination mechanism among relevant ministries to ensure the strict monitoring of the rationalisation plan’s outcomes. The prime minister stressed that these procedures primarily aim to reorder priorities, alongside a commitment to not affecting basic services provided to citizens or the state’s developmental path.
