Labor Day Celebration

President El-Sisi Attends Labor Day Celebration

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi participated in the Labor Day celebration, which was held at the headquarters of the National Egyptian Railway Industries Company (NERIC) in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, East Port Said. Upon his arrival, the President was received by Speaker of the House of Representatives Counselor Hisham Badawy, Speaker of the Senate Counselor Essam El Din Ahmed Farid, Prime Minister Dr. Moustafa Madbouly, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Dr. Hussein Issa, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and Minister of Defense and Military Production Lieutenant General Ashraf Salem Zaher, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Lieutenant General Ahmed Khalifa, Minister of Transport Lieutenant General Kamel El-Wazir, as well as a number of ministers, the Governor of Port Said, the Chairman of the General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone, Chairman of NERIC and the President of the Egyptian Trade Union Federation.

The celebration started with the recitation of verses from the Holy Qur’an, followed by a speech delivered by President of the Egyptian Trade Union Federation Mr. Abdel Moneim El-Gamal, on the occasion of Egypt’s Labor Day celebration. At the conclusion of his speech, Mr. El-Gamal presented the Labor Day shield as a commemorative gift to the President. This was followed by the screening of a documentary on the annual Labor Day celebration and the key activities of the Ministry of Labor, entitled “Makers of the Present and Builders of the Future.”

The celebration also included a speech by Minister of Labor Mr. Hassan Raddad, after which the President inaugurated four new projects via video conference: the Zagazig Electricity Substation in Sharqia Governorate;
Rawafaa Rashid 2 Transformer Station,
in Giza Governorate; Boulaq El-Dakrour General Hospital in Giza Governorate; and Toukh Central Hospital in Qalyubia Governorate. This was followed by the screening of a documentary on the NERIC factory, after which Minister of Transport Lieutenant General Kamel El-Wazir delivered a speech.

President El-Sisi honored a number of workers from various sectors by awarding them decorations and medals in recognition of their efforts and distinguished contributions in their respective fields. The President then delivered a speech marking the Labor Day celebration.

In his speech, President El-Sisi highlighted the efforts made to create new jobs, including the agricultural and industrial sectors, and explained that despite the challenges facing the region and the world, the unemployment rate in Egypt has dropped to 6.2%. The President emphasized that both the private and public sectors are working to create new jobs in the form of formal or informal employment. The President added that 60 to 65% of the Egyptian population is under the age of 40. This means that most of them are already in the job market or about to enter it. The President explained that providing employment and education opportunities for this large number is a significant challenge that requires concerted efforts from all parties. It also requires a serious commitment to both general and vocational education to ensure the competence of workers, whether employed in Egypt or abroad. The President stressed the importance of job creation opportunities, whether in small, national, or other projects, given the continuous need to provide employment for a large segment that adds to the actual size of job market in Egypt, estimated at around 60 million people.

The President affirmed that the state is working to reclaim 4.5 million feddans, which will be added to Egypt's agricultural land, within the framework of the New Delta project and the projects of the Future of Egypt Authority. Furthermore, 450,000 feddans will be added to the agricultural land in the Sinai Peninsula. The President noted that achieving this goal required the construction of the Bahr El-Baqar water treatment plant, in addition to other related infrastructure. The President emphasized that the state is seizing every opportunity to achieve development and modernization and stressed that everyone must be certain of this, pointing to the importance of concerted efforts to achieve the target goals.

President El-Sisi then conducted an inspection tour, during which he inspected a metro car after its assembly at the NERIC factory. Eng. Karim Sami Saad, Chairman of the Board of Directors of East Port Said Development, provided an explanation during the inspection. The President concluded his tour by taking commemorative photos with NERIC senior officials, executives, and workers.

President El-Sisi's Speech on Occasion of Labor Day

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

The great people of Egypt,

The loyal workers of Egypt,

Ladies and gentlemen,

May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.

Today, on Labor Day, I extend my deepest greetings, appreciation, and gratitude to the workers of Egypt, coupled with my sincerest prayers that Allah blesses their efforts and guides their steps.

You, the workers of Egypt, are the nation's strength and the pillars of its development, from the dawn of history to this very day.

The State has affirmed, and will continue to affirm, its unwavering commitment to protecting your rights and providing a dignified work environment befitting your dedication and hard work.

Brothers and sisters,

The comprehensive renaissance that Egypt is witnessing and the major projects being completed in all fields would not have been possible without the Egyptian worker.

We are persistently striving to localize industries in Egypt. In this context, I emphasize that "Made in Egypt" is not merely a slogan, but a national pledge and a great objective through which we seek to build a strong economy that safeguards our national security, improves the utilization of our resources, and opens prospects for work and hope for future generations.

Through our major national projects and our encouragement of the private sector, we have succeeded in providing hundreds of thousands of new job opportunities. This confirms that the Egyptian worker plays a pivotal role in the processes of construction, development, and modernization. This is a continuous journey that does not pause, leading Egypt to assume its rightful position among the ranks of developed nations.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Development can only be achieved through determination, perseverance, knowledge, and the training of cadres according to sound scientific principles, and through the integration of education and training with employment and investment policies. Therefore, we have previously instructed the preparation of the National Employment Strategy. Today, I call for its precise and effective implementation, along with the submission of periodic reports on its outcomes.

In the same context, I encourage the private sector and civil society to prioritize vocational training and actively contribute to developing a qualified and trained workforce through advanced curricula, and to establish schools and institutes that fulfill this role.

For its part, the State strives to enhance and provide job opportunities both domestically and internationally, and to open horizons for specialized, trained, and qualified Egyptian workers to prove their skill in Arab and other countries alike, through the agreements we conclude, while closely monitoring their progress to ensure that the dignity and rights of Egyptian workers abroad remain protected against any violations.

On this occasion, in the interest of workers and to improve their conditions, I have instructed the following:

1. Disbursing an exceptional monthly grant of 1,500 Egyptian pounds for a period of three months, from May to July 2026, to informal workers registered with the Ministry of Labor.

2. Exempting certain categories of informal workers from the fees for skill level certificates and professional licenses to integrate them into the formal sector and include their protection.

3. Increasing the compensation for death in work-related accidents from 200,000 to 300,000 Egyptian pounds, and increasing the compensation for total or partial disability by the percentage of disability.

4. Launching a job market platform to increase employment rates both domestically and internationally, and to provide opportunities for developing young people's skills in line with the job market needs.

5. Forming a permanent committee comprised of the Ministries of Labor, Industry, Investment and Foreign Trade, and Planning and Economic Development to address the needs of the job market.

6. Forming a permanent committee comprised of the Ministries of Labor, Education and Technical Education, and Higher Education and Scientific Research, to ensure that the outputs of education and training align with the requirements of the job market. I ask for the submission of periodic reports to me on the outcomes of both committees that i referred to in the fifth and sixth points.

Dear workers of Egypt,

I assure you that your rights and aspirations are our top priority. We will continue to enhance your capabilities, expand training and continuing education, increase jobs, and provide you with the necessary social protection. This will ensure that the Egyptian worker remains a model of skill and mastery, maintaining their vitality and competence.

Egypt rises with you, as your contributions make it elevate, and your dedication helps it cross into a promising future filled with goodness and prosperity.

May Egypt continue to rise, progress, and flourish.
Always and forever and by the grace of Allah:
Long live Egypt, long live Egypt, long live Egypt
May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.