Egypt Vision 2030

Egypt Vision 2030 (رؤية مصر 2030) is a national agenda launched in February 2016 by the Egyptian Government and unveiled by the Egyptian president Abd el-Fattah el-Sisi. The vision consists of eight main national goals to be met by 2030 that are in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Sustainable Development Strategy for Africa 2063.

In light of Egypt's changing internal and regional circumstances, Egypt Vision 2030 was updated to face these new challenges in cooperation with the various ministries and the private sector, in addition to the assistance of civil society organizations and various experts and specialists in multiple fields.

A number of axes in the new updated version in the three dimensions of the strategy, whether at the economic, social or environmental level, have already been identified, and among these axes: interest in the knowledge economy and encouraging innovation, industrial deepening and value chains. As well as managing population growth issues, achieving spatial justice, in addition to paying attention to some development issues as intersectional goals and axes of the vision, such as issues of promoting women and youth empowerment, developing the small and medium enterprises sector, and encouraging entrepreneurship.

Egypt has further secured $9.8 billion to boost the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of Egypt Vision 2030 in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

On 2 January 2021, Dr. Mohamed Nofal, an Egyptian information and communication technology expert, said that Egypt is moving in the right direction towards digital transformation in all fields, indicating that within the framework of Egypt's 2030 vision for digital transformation of individuals and governments, the Egyptian state sought to launch Egypt's digital services, which were launched nationwide.

In 2020, Egypt was the only country in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region with a positive GDP growth rate, thus being the only country in the region to avoid effects of the COVID-19 recession. On the other hand, all remaining countries in the region were projected to see negative growth in 2020, with a rebound to 2.2 percent growth in 2021.

Objectives
The strategic vision focuses on eight main objectives that are meant to be met by 2030.

Quality of life
Egypt's poverty rates have reached all-time high, and recently has declined for the first time in 20 years since 1999 from 32.5% to 29.7%. The country aims to eliminate poverty by 2030.

Social equality
The Egyptian constitution placed the social aspect of equality and inclusion as a cornerstone of the National Agenda for sustainable development, as it stipulates, “We write a constitution that achieves equality between us in rights and duties without any discrimination,” and its fourth article states, "Sovereignty is for the people alone, that they exercise and protect it, and they are the source of authority, and they safeguard their national unity, which is based on the principles of equality, justice and equal opportunities for all citizens."

Therefore, the National Agenda seeks to achieve social justice and social integration, and to promote active citizenship and positive participation for all segments of society. The issues of empowerment, equality and social justice are among the core issues that the Egypt's Vision of 2030 focuses on.

Economics
Egypt's current fiscal policy seeks to reduce the state budget deficit and public debt. The transformation towards a knowledge-based digital economy, encouraging innovation, research and development, enhancing the role of promising economic sectors, in addition to encouraging medium, small and micro enterprises, which are among the most important factors that lead to raising the degree of economic flexibility, increasing employment opportunities, achieving financial inclusion, and integrating the informal economic sector, leading to sustainable inclusive growth.

Education
As the country aims to establish a close relationship between localizing and employing technology and benefiting from it for sustainable inclusive growth and linking it to social aspects by investing in human capital and building scientific and practical capabilities in accordance with the latest educational systems, technical qualification and vocational training, leading to improving the level of educational and training services provided, all in order to improve productivity and positively affect the labor market.

Environmental politics
Egypt seeks to preserve both development and the environment together through the rational use of resources in a way that preserves the rights of future generations in a more secure and adequate way. The country aims to achieve this by facing the effects of climate change, enhancing the resilience of ecosystems and the ability to face natural hazards and disasters, increasing reliance on renewable energy and adopting sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Governance
When it comes to governance of the state, Egypt's vision for the future is to establish governance and adherence to laws, rules and procedures under the rule of law and an institutional framework necessary to achieve transparency, accountability and fight corruption.

National security
The state places security as a top priority in its comprehensive sense at the national and regional levels as an imperative to achieve and maintain sustainable development. This objective includes ensuring the security of food, water and sustainable energy as well as political, economic, social and environmental stability, information security (cyber) while securing Egypt's borders, combating terrorism and organized crime.

A once-stagnating and aging army, Egypt's Armed Forces is under heavy modernization and development in order to face looming regional threats and protect its interests. It also pursued a policy of diversification of weapon sources in order to not be over-reliant on foreign military aid and consequently, external pressure.

As of 2020, Egypt's military ranks among the top 10 strongest worldwide, ranking first in both Africa and the Middle East and had recently been playing a much bigger role as a regional power than it has in the past decades.

Leading stature
Egypt aims to further increase its regional and international presence diplomatically through establishing mutually beneficial country partnerships with various surrounding countries. Egypt also aims to share its economic and technical experience to its neighboring countries in order to assist its peers with the needed instruments for development as well as providing foreign aid if needed. A goal in line with the Sustainable Development Strategy for Africa 2063.

Projects
Since the announcement of the Egypt Vision 2030 strategy, the country has taken multiple steps since 2016 by funding new mega-projects countrywide, all having different goals though a part of the 2030 vision.

Hayah Karima
The comprehensive megaproject of the social dimension of Egypt Vision 2030. Hayah Karima targets Egypt's most impoverished and vulnerable segments of the society in the countryside and remote villages mainly. Hayah Karima aims to provide decent housing, quality medical and educational services, and the necessary and basic infrastructure for the most impoverished and deprived rural villages and remote areas in Egypt that are needed for a decent life.

Hala Al-Said, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, stated that the project covers all the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in its various dimensions. Hayah Karima was listed in the UN's SDG's Good Practices report.

Overall, with its 3 phases, the megaproject aims to significantly improve the quality of life and livelihood of 60 million Egyptians living in the countryside.

It is reported that the megaproject mitigated the damages of COVID-19 considerably of the targeted groups.

New Administrative Capital
The New Administrative Capital, Egypt's new capital city is the largest project in modern Egypt, which includes many of Egypt's planned and current mega projects under construction. These mega projects include the Iconic Tower, The Octagon, Oblisco Capitale, Capital Park, Al-Fattah Al-Aleem Mosque, Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ and the Central Business District (CBD), Olympic City, Capital International Airport.

Local Military Production
Egypt's Ministry of Military Production has developed an integrated plan to develop the country's system of military manufacture, at a value of £E 7.3bln (US$465000000). The overall plan aims to meet the needs of the Egyptian Armed Forces from 2020 to 2030, and to direct the surplus for export in the period from 2025 to 2030.

The current allocated budget for the plan will be distributed among several sectors like ammunition, weapons, and equipment manufacturing.