The government will roll out a “comprehensive system” to support seasonal and day laborers by the end of the year or early 2021, Manpower Minister Mohamed Saafan said, according to a cabinet statement. It’s still unclear what this new system will look like or how long it will run for. The statement, however, hints that the new program could involve some form of welfare payouts, mentioning that authorities have since April disbursed EGP 2.4 bn pf covid-19 financial assistance to some 1.6 mn individuals who don’t have stable jobs. Seasonal workers were each given EGP 1500 over three installments. Saafan said. International Cooperation Minister Rania Al Mashat previously said that the government is working to support 1.5 mn seasonal workers it had identified as vulnerable to the economic fallout from covid-19 to help integrate them within the formal economy.

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