CAIRO: Egypt has launched a new program in cooperation with the UAE designed to improve leadership in government and the delivery of public services. Hala Al-Saeed, Egypt’s minister of planning and economic development, said the 10-day program, titled “Government Leaders and Service Development,” was for administrative staff working in supply and social rehabilitation offices, comprehensive centers for people with disabilities, real estate and documentation offices, post offices, technology centers in Cairo and Giza, and the General Investment Authority. She said it aimed to develop the leadership skills of the participants in line with the future direction of the Egyptian government and Egypt Vision 2030, and to enable employees to apply those skills in the services sector. Al-Saeed added that the scheme would allow Egyptian employees to apply methods developed in the UAE to deal with challenges and deliver quick and tangible solutions. At the launch of the program, Khaled Mostafa, Egypt’s permanent undersecretary of the ministry of planning, said it came within the framework of the cooperation protocol signed between Egypt and the UAE in 2018 in the field of government development. One of the main features of that deal was the Egypt Award for Government Excellence, along with building capabilities and training programs, he said. Mostafa pointed to the importance of the agreement in improving the quality of life of citizens and providing effective government services. He added that improving service delivery mechanisms would improve access to such services and their quality. As Egypt improved its competitiveness, it would attract more investors, international partners and projects, which would in turn create more job opportunities, Mostafa said.