Gamil Helmy, Egypt's assistant Minister of Planning and Economic Development and general supervisor of 'Decent Life,' the government's financial inclusion initiative, praised the work of the Egypt Impact Lab and Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) MENA in evaluating the programme's impact during a meeting with the Central Bank of Egypt ahead of the implementation of the initiative's second phase.
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Egypt - The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development convened with the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) to outline the execution of the financial inclusion strategy for the second phase of “Decent Life,” a national project aimed at uplifting the Egyptian countryside.
Gamil Helmy, Assistant Minister of Planning and General Supervisor of “Decent Life,” alongside CBE’s Khaled Bassiouni, Director General of the Financial Inclusion Department, reviewed the progress made in the initiative’s first phase. This phase saw the installation of 1,208 ATMs and the establishment of 127 bank branches by September 2023, enhancing access to diverse financial services like electronic wallets, internet banking, prepaid cards, and QR codes.
Helmy emphasized the pivotal role of financial inclusion in achieving sustainable development goals within rural Egypt. This included the disbursement of medium, small, and micro-loans totaling EGP 26.3 billion and mitigating pollution by reducing transportation needs for financial services.