Egypt plans to set up council for central planning

LEGISLATION WATCH- Gov’t plans to set up planning council under Unified Planning Act: The government is planning to set up a council to formulate nationwide and governorate-level development plans and have a say in all future laws related to economic, social, and urban planning, the local press reports. The council, which would be set up under the Unified Planning Act currently under discussion in parliament, would be headed by the president and include the prime minister, several cabinet ministers, the heads of the Administrative Control Authority and the General Intelligence Directorate, and five “experts” chosen by the Planning Minister. The House Planning and Budget Committee began reviewing the legislation yesterday and will ship it to the House for a final vote once discussions wrap up.