At a press conference on Wednesday from the site developing slums on the Ismailia Desert road, Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb said that 26 percent of the population live below the poverty line,four million of which live in slums.
“The government swears to God that it will take care of them,” he said. “The president himself instructed me to come here.”
He said Egypt can capitalize on other countries' successful experiences in that field, especially in Brazil.
Minister of Local Development Adel Labib said the government will provide alternative areas for slum dwellers, pointing out that the ministry is developing 48 slum areas, including 30 in Cairo and 18 in Giza.
“We will develop some 195 slum areas nationwide in the coming 18 months,” he said.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
