President Abdel Fattah El Sisi expressed regret over the drowning of over 160 persons when an illegal migration boat sank in Rosetta last week.

At the inauguration of the "Bashayer el Khair" housing project in Alexandria, the president asked everyone present to observe a one-minute silence over the victims.

He urged the Egyptian community to counter illegal migration either to or from Egypt.

The community has to work with state institutions to face this phenomenon, he said.

Sisi announced that a new aquaculture project will be established at the tragedy’s location, saying it could be the largest-ever in Egypt.
Delivering a speech at the opening of “Bashayer el Khair” housing project in Alexandria, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said that a youth has to pay a lot of money to be able to travel in such an illegal way, either by earning or borrowing them.

The aquaculture project has started a year ago and is expected to be open in three months, the president said, noting that it would need between 5,000 and 6,000 workers.

Also six or eight factories are ready to operate in the industrial zone in Kafr El Sheikh with each needing about 100 workers, he said.

The president admitted that today’s housing project was supposed to be inaugurated before the Eid vacation but it was not completed back then, saying that it was the duty of those in charge to fight bureaucracy. 
President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said there were sides that wish to see Egypt become a country of refugees but Egypt will not be.

Delivering a speech at the opening of “Bashayer el Khair” housing project in Alexandria, Sisi said there are two fish farming projects that are about to be completed; one in East Port Said and the other in Kafr El Sheikh.

The president said that the media have a huge responsibility in reviving hope among citizens, pointing out to underway projects, such as the furniture city in Damietta and the leather tannery city in Roubiky.

Speaking about SMEs, he said the state should help youths and junior investors in getting lands and loans for projects. 
President Abdel Fattah El Sisi spoke about the state’s efforts to fight hepatitis C (HCV), saying he wishes that Egypt, which has the world’s highest HCV prevalence rate, to be free from the virus in two years.

There are currently not HCV waiting lists at the Health Ministry, the president said while delivering a speech at the opening of “Bashayer el Khair” housing project in Alexandria on Monday.

The civil society had a huge role that surprised the whole world in reducing HCV infection rates but still prevention culture needs to be instilled in the society, Sisi said.

Turning to social housing, he said that 600,000 turnkey units will be provided in June and there are currently 75,000 units, out of a total 160,000, being constructed for life-risky areas and are expected to be completed in June as well.

The whole project will be finished in June 2018, he added.

On social insurance and pensions, he said social insurance is serving nearly 2.5 million families and the state will continue to work strongly in this regard. 
President Sisi talked about high priority projects that concern the health of citizens, pointing out to drainage projects in Egyptian villages.

When this project started, only 15% of villages had drainage networks but in June 2018, 50% of them will have the service, the president said while delivering a speech at the opening of “Bashayer el Khair 1” housing project in Alexandria on Monday.

A huge project is underway to serve the neediest villages carried out in collaboration between “Tahya Misr Fund”, the Armed Forces and charities, he said.

Turning to the 1.5-million-feddan reclamation project, Sisi promised that the first phase of 500,000 feddans will be offered to citizens in October.

About the prices of commodities, he said the issue is not only constrained to the greed of traders but is also related to the exchange rate of the US dollar and the absence of a real mechanism to control markets.

However, government sector salaries rose in the past five years by EGP 150 billion annually as well as pensions by EGP 53 billion, he said. 
Delivering a speech at the opening of “Bashayer el Khair 1” housing project in Alexandria on Monday, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said the government will pump all commodities in the market in the coming two months so that the supply suits the demand.

Urgent measures as part of a medium and long term plan are being taken to this end, such as a project on establishing 100,000 greenhouses with the aim of doubling the supplies in the market in a short period, he said. 
A great accomplishment was made in fighting terrorism due to the concerted efforts of the country, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said during the opening of “Bashayer el Khair 1” housing project in Alexandria on Monday.

Sisi said he wants to reassure citizens that the country has the Armed Forces and the Interior Ministry and that no side will be able to undermine the Egyptian state.

The existing plan is to deploy the Armed Forces throughout Egypt within six hours to protect the state, he said.

He touched on his visits of China, India and the US, saying that all sides valued the balanced Egyptian political administration.

He noted that no side can intervene in the strong relationship between Egypt and Arab Gulf countries, adding that Arab and Gulf national security is part of the Egyptian national security.

At the end of the speech, the president thanked businesspersons, banks and the Armed Forces for contributing to the housing project “Bashayer el Khair 1”.

Source: MENA