Latest news with #IDSC
See - Sada Elbalad
2 days ago
- Business
- See - Sada Elbalad
Egypt Nears Sugar Self-Sufficiency with Major Boost in Domestic Production
Ahmed Emam Egypt is making significant strides toward achieving self-sufficiency in sugar production, thanks to government-led efforts to expand the cultivation of sugar crops and support associated industries. The Egyptian Cabinet's Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC) published a series of infographics detailing the progress on its official social media platforms. The campaign highlights a broader national strategy aimed at maximizing agricultural output and optimizing the use of available resources to boost food security and stabilize domestic markets. According to the data, sugar beet cultivation has increased by 25%, with cultivated land expanding from 600,000 feddans in the 2023/2024 season to 750,000 feddans in 2024/2025. This is expected to yield 2.5 million tons of sugar, up from 1.5 million tons the previous year. For the first time in Egypt's history, sugar production is projected to reach 2.6 million tons in 2025, compared to 2.3 million tons in 2014. The outlook is even more optimistic for 2026, with forecasts predicting a rise to 2.9 million tons. The government's efforts have already shown results in reducing imports. Egypt's raw sugar imports dropped by 54.5% in the first quarter of 2025, falling to \$111.1 million from \$244.4 million during the same period in 2024. The data also revealed that Egypt achieved 81% self-sufficiency in sugar as of March 2025. Authorities anticipate that sugar imports will no longer be necessary by early 2026. Current government-held stocks of subsidized sugar are sufficient to meet national demand for 13 months. In terms of infrastructure, Egypt now boasts eight major sugar beet processing factories. Among them is Canal Sugar, the world's largest single-line beet sugar factory, which currently has a production capacity of 350,000 tons and plans to increase this to 750,000 tons by 2026. Other key facilities include the El Sharqiya plant in New Salhiya City with a capacity of 240,000 tons, and the upgraded Delta Sugar factory, whose capacity has risen from 14,000 to 21,000 tons of beet per day. The government is also investing in enhancing the productivity of sugarcane. This includes the establishment of seedling production stations like Wadi El-Saaida, which will supply 160 million seedlings per season, and the Kom Ombo station, with a capacity of 30 million seedlings per season. To further incentivize sugar crop cultivation, the government allocated EGP 16 billion for sugarcane purchases in 2025, and EGP 7 billion to cover industrial operations. Reference prices have been set at EGP 2,500 per ton for sugarcane and EGP 2,400 per ton for sugar beet at a sweetness level of 16%. Additional incentives include an early harvest bonus starting at EGP 200 per ton for beet farmers. Sugarcane farmers whose yield exceeds 30 tons per feddan will receive a bonus of EGP 50 per ton, while those exceeding 40 tons per feddan will receive EGP 100 per ton. These initiatives represent a cornerstone of Egypt's strategic plan to secure essential food commodities, reduce import dependency, and reinforce agricultural sustainability. read more CBE: Deposits in Local Currency Hit EGP 5.25 Trillion Morocco Plans to Spend $1 Billion to Mitigate Drought Effect Gov't Approves Final Version of State Ownership Policy Document Egypt's Economy Expected to Grow 5% by the end of 2022/23- Minister Qatar Agrees to Supply Germany with LNG for 15 Years Business Oil Prices Descend amid Anticipation of Additional US Strategic Petroleum Reserves Business Suez Canal Records $704 Million, Historically Highest Monthly Revenue Business Egypt's Stock Exchange Earns EGP 4.9 Billion on Tuesday Business Wheat delivery season commences on April 15 News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean
Egypt Today
04-06-2025
- Business
- Egypt Today
IDSC: International tourism recorded 5% growth in the 1st quarter of 2025
Tourism - file CAIRO - 4 June 2025: The Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC) of the Cabinet highlighted a World Tourism Organization report indicating continued recovery in international tourism during the first quarter of 2025, recording a 5 percent growth compared to the previous year, along with increased visitor spending and tourism revenues. This reflects the sector's resilience despite geopolitical and economic challenges and rising travel and tourism service prices. The report indicated that more than 300 million international tourists traveled in the first three months of this year; an increase of 14 million compared to the same period in 2024. This performance also exceeds 2019 figures by 3 percent. The report emphasized that tourism is emerging as a major service sector in every region of the world, providing millions of jobs and supporting a large number of commercial activities. It noted that the continued rise in the number of international arrivals, along with increased tourism spending, demonstrates the sector's strength despite crises. The report added that Europe welcomed 125 million international tourist arrivals during the first quarter of 2025, a 2% increase compared to the previous year and a 5% increase over pre-pandemic levels. The Southern Mediterranean region saw similar growth of 2%, while Central and Eastern Europe recorded an 8% increase, although numbers remained below 2019 levels. The report indicated that Africa recorded strong growth of 9% compared to the previous year, exceeding pre-pandemic levels by 16%. In the Americas, numbers rose by 2%, with some South American destinations achieving a remarkable 13% growth thanks to the Southern Hemisphere summer season. The Middle East recorded a slight increase of 1%, but arrivals remained 44% higher than pre-pandemic levels. In a related context, the Asia-Pacific region recorded the highest growth rate in the first quarter of 2025, at 12%, approaching 92% of pre-pandemic levels. Northeast Asia's performance stood out, with a 23% growth compared to 2024, reaching 91% of 2019 figures. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), international air travel demand increased by 8%, while air capacity increased by 7%. The report indicated that international tourism receipts data in the first quarter of 2025 showed strong growth in visitor spending in several destinations. Spain recorded a 9% increase, while Turkey achieved a 7% increase. Greece, Italy, and Portugal recorded a 4% growth. France also achieved a 6% growth, Norway achieved a 20% growth, and Denmark grew by 11%. In Asia and the Pacific, Japan saw a 34% increase in revenues, Nepal achieved 18% growth, while South Korea and Mongolia each recorded 14% growth. In the United States, the world's largest tourism revenue market, growth in the first quarter of 2025 was approximately 3%, following 14% in 2024. The report stated that 2024 data was revised to confirm that international tourism receipts, including revenues and air transport, reached $2.0 trillion, an 11% increase over 2023 and 15% above pre-pandemic levels. These receipts represent 6% of total global exports of goods and services and 23% of global trade in services. The report concluded that despite the strong performance, the global tourism sector faces ongoing challenges. Recent surveys of tourism experts indicated that slowing economic growth, rising travel costs, and increased customs duties are the most prominent risks. Declining consumer confidence and geopolitical tensions also emerged as influential factors that could cast a shadow over tourism performance in 2025.
Egypt Today
02-06-2025
- Business
- Egypt Today
Egypt increases health budget to LE 496 Billion in 2024/2025
CAIRO – 2 June 2025: The Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC) under the Egyptian Cabinet has revealed that Egypt has firmly established a robust pharmaceutical manufacturing base in recent years, significantly boosting both technical capabilities and production output. As a result, the country has achieved an impressive 91 percent self-sufficiency in medicine. Today, Egypt is home to more than 179 pharmaceutical factories, including 11 internationally accredited facilities, along with 150 factories for medical supplies, 5 for raw material production, and 4 specialized in biological products. Altogether, the nation operates over 986 pharmaceutical production lines, marking a major leap in local healthcare manufacturing. In a parallel effort to reinforce the healthcare system, the Egyptian government has increased the national health budget by 24.9 percent for the 2024/2025 fiscal year, raising the allocation to approximately LE 496 billion, up from LE 397 billion in 2023/2024. This increase meets the constitutional obligation for healthcare funding in the new state budget. Moreover, the government affirmed its continued commitment to the state-funded medical treatment program, with no interruptions planned. The budget allocated to this program has been raised by 16.1 percent, reaching LE 10.1 billion in 2024/2025, compared to LE 8.7 billion in the previous fiscal year. These developments reflect Egypt's strategic focus on health sovereignty and public wellbeing.
CairoScene
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CairoScene
New App Digitally Maps Egypt's Urban Heritage
The Ministry of Culture has launched the Memory of the City app to preserve Egypt's urban history through digital storytelling, plaques, and interactive location-based features. May 29, 2025 The Ministry of Culture has launched Memory of the City, a mobile application designed to digitally document and preserve Egypt's urban heritage. The app was introduced during an official event at the Cairo Opera House, attended by Minister of Culture Ahmed Hanno and representatives from the National Organization for Urban Harmony (NOUH) and the Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC). Developed by NOUH in collaboration with the IDSC, the app applies location-based technology and archival content to make Egypt's architectural and cultural history more accessible to the public. It includes several features aimed at promoting awareness and preservation of urban heritage across Egyptian cities. One key feature documents the residences of prominent Egyptian figures, marked by physical plaques that include QR codes linking to biographical details. The app also traces the origins of major street names across governorates, providing historical context as users navigate their surroundings. Architecturally significant buildings are catalogued in coordination with heritage institutions to support long-term preservation Using geolocation, the app notifies users when they are near a landmark of historical interest, transforming everyday movement through the city into a guided experience of Egypt's urban legacy. Memory of the City is available for download on major mobile platforms and is part of a broader initiative to strengthen public engagement with cultural heritage through digital tools.
Daily News Egypt
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily News Egypt
Egypt launches 'Memory of the City' app to document urban history
Egypt has launched the 'Memory of the City' smartphone application, designed to document the history of Egyptian cities, with officials stating its aim is to protect national identity and preserve the authentic spirit of urban areas. The application was introduced at a ceremony at the Small Hall of the Egyptian Opera House, attended by Ahmed Hanno, Minister of Culture. The National Organization for Urban Harmony (NOUH), headed by Mohamed Abu Saada, developed the app in collaboration with Osama Al-Gohary, Assistant to the Prime Minister and Head of the Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC). Other attendees included Amr El-Bassiouny, Permanent Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture, and Alaa Abdel Salam, Head of the Egyptian Opera House. Ahmed Hanno, Minister of Culture, remarked, 'This occasion holds special significance with the launch of the 'Memory of the City' application. It transcends being merely a digital project to become an effective tool for safeguarding our identity, documenting the collective memory of our cities, and reintroducing this heritage to new generations through a contemporary vision that respects history while engaging with the future.' He emphasised that through this initiative, the Ministry strives to 'protect the components of Egyptian identity and preserve the authentic spirit of our cities' amidst current global challenges. The Minister of Culture explained that the application is part of a comprehensive package of initiatives by the Ministry, in cooperation with relevant authorities, to consolidate national identity and enhance a sense of belonging. He described 'Memory of the City' as 'a living record of social, urban, and cultural history, combining images, information, and testimonies to reconnect people with places, and to highlight the aesthetics and transformations of our cities.' Hanno also stressed the importance of 'integrated efforts among state institutions,' not only to celebrate the past but also to present its symbols as inspiring models for current and future generations. He extended his gratitude to everyone who contributed to the project's implementation. Mohamed Abu Saada, Head of the NOUH, stated, 'In collaboration with the IDSC at the Council of Ministers, we are launching this project to keep pace with the current era and anticipate future developments.' Abu Saada described the 'Memory of the City' app as a technological platform designed to make culture easily accessible to citizens. He elaborated that the project encompasses three main initiatives: 'Lived Here,' which documents the residences of Egyptian figures and pioneers in various fields using plaques with QR codes that provide biographies and documentary information; 'Street Story,' which shares the histories behind the names of famous streets through informational plaques across different governorates; and 'Valuable Buildings,' which documents and aids in the preservation of distinguished architectural structures in cooperation with relevant institutions. Abu Saada pointed out that the application enables users passing through areas featuring these initiatives to receive notifications and alerts about significant places, figures, or valuable buildings, thereby enriching citizens' understanding of their urban surroundings' history. He also thanked Ahmed Hanno for his continuous support and Osama Al-Gohary for their fruitful cooperation, underscoring that the application is part of a broader endeavour to 'facilitate access to culture, and preserve heritage and national identity.' Osama Al-Gohary, Assistant to the Prime Minister and Head of the IDSC, said in his address, 'This is not merely an occasion to launch a digital application, but an important human and knowledge-based milestone in a long journey of collaborative work.' He added, 'The story of 'Memory of the City' did not emerge from a vacuum; its roots were established in the 'Lived Here' project, launched in 2017.' This initial project, he explained, began with copper plaques on buildings and has now expanded to over a thousand plaques distributed across Egypt's governorates. Al-Gohary affirmed that launching the application 'represents a natural evolution of the project.' He noted that it was designed to be 'simple, rich, and interactive, enabling users to see their city as he has never seen it before – with an eye that knows and respects.' He concluded his speech by stating, ''Memory of the City' is not an end, but the beginning of a larger vision through which we aspire to document all Egyptian cities and instill a respect for history in the consciousness of new generations.' Al-Gohary also expressed his gratitude to the Minister of Culture, Mohamed Abu Saada, and everyone who contributed to this achievement, stressing that this institutional partnership will yield more projects dedicated to heritage preservation. The launch ceremony featured a documentary film showcasing the application's content and functionality. It also included an honouring ceremony for Osama Al-Gohary and members of the scientific committees for the 'Lived Here' and 'Street Story' projects. The 'Memory of the City' application integrates all projects under the 'Memory of the City Series,' launched by the NOUH in collaboration with the IDSC. It aims to make these initiatives readily accessible to youth, younger generations, and individuals interested in heritage and architecture. The application underscores the NOUH's commitment to engaging with society using contemporary language to consolidate heritage awareness and foster its preservation.
