A group of leaders and representatives of the World Bank praised the local development program in Upper Egypt during the conference “Reforming and Empowering Local Administration: Lessons Learned from the Local Development Program in Upper Egypt,” which was held today under the patronage and presence of Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister, Dr. Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development and Acting Minister of the Environment, and with the participation of a number of ministers, ambassadors, governors, heads of agencies, international partners, and “Stephen Gimbert, Country Director for Egypt, Yemen, and Djibouti at the World Bank Group.
A number of World Bank leaders sent messages about the program; Sherif Hamdy, Chief Operating Officer at the World Bank, said: The local development program for Upper Egypt was designed to be a legacy of influence, empowerment, expansion, financing, and sustainability.
The stage that has been concluded is not the end, but rather the first stop in a continuing journey of work, development, and construction. We are, of course, very proud because we were part of the work team that contributed to the design and implementation of this program.
Axel, the senior urban development expert, added; For me, there are three things that distinguish the local development program in Upper Egypt. Firstly, it is a program that combined a strong focus on enhancing competitiveness on the one hand, and enhancing services and infrastructure in the governorates on the other hand. Participation of citizens and the local community."
Aya Mahjoub, a senior urban development expert, confirmed that the program is one of the most important stations of support for the residents of Upper Egypt and government officials in Upper Egypt, as well as in the national government, to contribute to formulating a pioneering program in every sense of the word; The program combines a focus on institutional performance and comprehensive economic development and implements this in a way that empowers local authorities.
The program is also considered a pioneering model that combines innovation and community participation, and provides a framework for future learning in the field of local development.
Dr. Mohamed Nada, a senior urban development expert, said; It is a great honor for us to be one of the members of the work team who contributed to the implementation of the local development project for Upper Egypt. In fact, individual visits to all villages and cities showed the extent of the work, its impact, and the diversity of the projects that were implemented."
He praised the leadership role played by the governors and every official in the local administration; For the rest of the governorates, I think that the reforms concerned with developing local administration and developing the planning system were very important.; Currently, the design of a new project that will be implemented in Central Asia will be completed. In fact, the project is designed based on the lessons learned that were experienced in Upper Egypt.
He stressed that the project did not only benefit Egypt; But in fact, now it will benefit many countries that learn from the successful program implemented by Egypt.
John Ker Cow, a senior urban development expert, explained: One story that sticks out to me is how effectively the PCO handled citizen feedback; During a field visit to one of the new markets implemented within the program, citizens on the ground shared with us their thoughts about what they liked and some complaints about what could be improved. The program office did not hesitate, as Dr. Hisham Al-Helbawy, Assistant Minister of Local Development, and his team organized a live meeting on site, bringing everyone together to discuss possible improvements. This was a great example of the team’s responsiveness and commitment to making a real difference.”
Jad Salhab, senior private sector development expert, added; The program perfectly balances the Arabic and English languages, and highlights the emotional and human dimension of the success achieved, with a focus on the role of the private sector in economic development.
He continued, saying: " I would like to compliment the wonderful Egypt team on the great achievement and tangible impact you have achieved on the ground; That decentralization and the empowerment of local communities are an essential foundation for achieving comprehensive and sustainable economic growth; It was a great honor for me to work with a team characterized by passion and commitment towards achieving the project goals.”
Zeeshan Karim, senior urban development expert, said: “What surprised me most about the program is the dedicated and talented government team behind its implementation; I extend my heartfelt congratulations to everyone on the completion of this innovative and influential program."
Suhayb Atar, Senior Urban Development Expert, said; What distinguishes the Upper Egypt program is that it provides resources to local governments to invest in local economic development through a very innovative approach. An approach that has become a model that other countries can follow and that the World Bank has been able to replicate elsewhere.
Maha Hussein, Senior Operations Officer, explained; I am very proud to see the fruits of ten years of dedication and hard work exerted by the Egyptian government in the development of Upper Egypt. It is reassuring and encouraging to see how the local administration has moved to assume responsibility for economic planning at the governorate level, and is working clearly to identify the industries and economic blocs most appropriate for each governorate in accordance with its actual resources and capabilities. It is honorable that this vision has already begun to translate into noticeable results on the ground. Congratulations to everyone who contributed to this achievement."
