Egypt’s GDP rose 5.4% in FY17-18, says prime minister

Egypt's gross domestic product (GDP) rose 5.4 percent in the fiscal year ending on June 30, the country’s fastest growth rate in a decade, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said.

In a televised session on Tuesday, the newly appointed PM, who previously served as the housing minister, briefed the parliament on the government’s four-year plan, vowing to pursue the campaign against Islamic extremists.

In the previous year, Egypt’s GDP grew by 4.2 percent.

The government aims for up to 8 percent growth rate by fiscal year 2022-2021, Madbouly said.

Revenues from tourism and the Suez Canal have risen over the past year, boosting the economy of the Arab world’s most populous country.

In addition, remittances from Egyptians working abroad jumped to $19.37 billion in the nine-month period ending on March 31, compared to $15.89 billion a year earlier, according to central bank data issued on June 28.

The annual unemployment rate stood at 10.6 percent by the end of June, Madbouly said, adding that his government is seeking to bring it down to 8 percent by 2021-2022.

The prime minister also said that Egypt’s total government debt would be no higher than 90 percent of GDP by June 2020.

As of December, external debt stood at 36.1 percent of GDP and its domestic public debt stood at 83.8 percent of GDP, central bank data shows.

The parliament is set to discuss the government’s plan and is widely expected to approve it in the coming days.

Egypt has been implementing severe austerity measures as part of a 2016 IMF loan program intended to support the country’s finances.

The reforms include currency floatation, cutting subsidies and raising the prices of fuel, electricity and public transport.