Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Tuesday raised the minimum monthly wage nationwide to EGP 2,700 ($172).
A statement from the presidency said that the previously set wage of EGP 2,400 ($152.5) per month would be raised by 12.5 per cent.
This marks the third time Mr El Sisi has raised the national minimum wage since he took office in 2014.
The decision came after a budget meeting the president had on Tuesday with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and finance minister Mohammed Maait to finalise the national budget for the 2022-2023 fiscal year.
In addition to increasing the minimum wage for public sector employees, Mr El Sisi said he has allocated EGP 8 billion ($508 million) from next year’s budget to raise the wages of the country’s civil servants by up to 13 per cent.
The statement also said that additional incentives for the country’s civil servants would be increased by EGP 18bn ($1.14bn).
It is not precisely known when the new changes will occur, but they are expected to come into effect in July with the start of the new fiscal year.
Mr El Sisi’s rule has been marked by a number of significant economic reforms which some Egyptians, especially those from the country’s lower and middle classes, have found it difficult to adjust to.
Among the reforms was a devaluation of the Egyptian pound and significant cuts to state subsidies for essential goods such as fuel and bread.
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Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
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New Zealand 21 British & Irish Lions 24
New Zealand
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British & Irish Lions
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Conversions: Farrell
