CABINET WATCH- Cabinet approves emergency medical response fund, USAID funding for education and agriculture: The Madbouly Cabinet approved during its weekly meeting a draft law to establish a Cairo-based emergency medical response fund that will replace family health centers created nearly 20 years ago, according to a statement. The fund will provide financial support during major emergencies, purchase medicines, and finance services provided by the Health Ministry to reduce waitlists, as well as other needs not covered by the state budget. The statement didn’t disclose how much money would be put into the fund or how it would be funded. The committee will be under the purview of the prime minister, who will serve on its board of trustees alongside the health, finance, higher education and scientific research ministers, as well as the governor of the central bank and other appointees by the prime minister.

Cabinet also approved a USD 630 mn facility from the Arab Monetary Fund to help fund government reforms to improve administrative processes such as budgeting, procurement, debt management and tax administration.

Fresh USAID grants: The council of ministers also approved amendments to the government’s agreement with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to provide USD 15 mn to improve basic education for students, improve literacy and numeracy for adults, and train new teachers. Another USD 4 mn was also earmarked for scientific cooperation between Egypt and the US, in addition to USD 10 mn to support family planning and reproductive health services, and USD 4.4 million to increase incomes and create agriculture jobs in Upper Egypt.