Cairo – Egyptian and U.S. government officials announced the successful completion of a project to improve efficiency and responsiveness of public services in Egypt.  The Effective Planning and Services project was implemented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in coordination with Egypt’s Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Local Development, and the Central Agency for Organization and Administration.

According to U.S. Embassy Cairo Chargé d’Affaires Thomas Goldberger, “This project, like so many others that we have worked on with Egypt over the years, is a terrific example of how U.S. government assistance reflects our long-standing commitment to Egypt and the Egyptian people.”

Speaking at the August 13 event announcing the completion of the project, USAID/Egypt Mission Director Sherry F. Carlin said, “Guided by Egyptian government institutions, our team supported efforts in implementing fiscal, administrative, and political decentralization reforms to improve public services to all Egyptians.”  She also noted, “With an Egyptian-led team of experts, this project has helped the government promote the principles of good governance and build respect, trust, and cooperation between citizens and their local administration.”

The Effective Planning and Services project, launched in October 2014, supported Egyptian-led efforts to make public services more accessible, transparent, and accountable through the process of decentralization as mandated by Egypt’s 2014 constitution.  Through this project, nearly 5,000 government employees received training in areas like information technology, customer relations, media outreach, and ethics.  The project provided technical assistance and logistical support for Egypt’s Sustainable Development Strategy, the Civil Service Law, and Citizen Capital Budget Guides.  Additionally, in partnership with the Ministry of Planning, the project improved ten “one-stop-shop” Citizen Service Centers in Aswan and Beheira governorates to better link citizens to their local government.

This project is part of the $30 billion that the American people have invested in Egypt through USAID since 1978.  To find out more about USAID’s work in Egypt, please see https://www.usaid.gov/egypt, and follow along on Facebook and Twitter at @USAIDEgypt.

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