The Ismail cabinet gave its preliminary approval yesterday to the Unified Planning Act drafted by the Planning Ministry, according to an official statement. The bill sets a framework for the state to regulate the planning and execution of national projects based on their merit, costs and sources of funding. Ministers also agreed to establish a Supreme Medical Tourism Committee, which will be mandated with setting a comprehensive strategy for promoting medical tourism in Egypt and putting in place a framework to monitor the hospitals and clinics operating under medical tourism. Also approved during the weekly meeting:

• A USD 45 mn technical grant from China for the launch of a new satellite, which Egypt and China signed at the BRICS summit in Xiamen in September;
• Amendments to the Public Procurement Law that grant Egyptian products preferential treatment in government contracts and promote local industries;
• Amending the National Food Safety Authority’s affiliation to bring it under the auspices of the presidency.