El-Sisi unveils support package for irregular workers, inspects assembled metro carriage on Labour Day
President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi announced on Thursday a package of financial and social support measures for irregular workers, including a temporary monthly allowance, and inspected a locally assembled metro carriage during a Labour Day celebration at the Egyptian National Railways Industries Company (NERIC) in East Port Said, the presidency said.
El-Sisi said Egypt’s unemployment rate has fallen to 6.2 percent despite regional and global challenges, noting that about 60 to 65 percent of the population is under 40, which places continued pressure on the labour market.
He added that the government is working with the private sector to create new job opportunities across sectors, particularly in agriculture and industry, and to integrate both formal and informal employment into the economy.
He said that Egypt aims to reclaim 4.5 million feddans under the New Delta and Mostaqbal Misr projects, alongside an additional 450,000 feddans in Sinai, supported by major infrastructure developments such as the Bahr El-Baqar water treatment plant, as part of efforts to expand the agricultural base and absorb a growing workforce.
The Labour Day event also highlighted efforts to localize transport manufacturing, as El-Sisi inspected a metro carriage assembled at the NERIC plant, one of the flagship projects aimed at building domestic capacity in railway and metro manufacturing and reducing imports.
He received a detailed briefing on manufacturing and assembly stages during a tour of the facility. The president concluded the visit by taking commemorative photos with workers and company officials in recognition of their role in supporting industrial and economic development.
NERIC is a state-backed industrial project established to localize railway manufacturing and reduce imports, forming a key part of Egypt’s strategy to develop domestic heavy industry.
The company operates within the Suez Canal Economic Zone in East Port Said, a location designed to integrate manufacturing with export-oriented logistics and global supply chains.
The company’s core mandate is the production, assembly, and maintenance of railway rolling stock, including metro cars, passenger rail coaches, and potentially freight wagons, alongside the localization of key components and supply chains over time.
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