Egypt launched on Wednesday the final draft of the country's sustainable development strategy for the next 15 years, with the aim of raising GDP growth to 12% in 2030, up from the 4.2% attained last fiscal year, while reducing the budget deficit to 2.28% of GDP from 11.5%. The strategy announced in March last year during the Economic Development Conference in Sharm El-Sheikh has been finalised after societal discussions and is the product of two years of preparation, said Planning Minister Ashraf El-Araby at a launching event attended by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi. According to Prime Minister Sherif Ismail, the 2030 plan is to expand investors’ base, individuals and companies, raising the contribution of the private sector to 75% of GDP up from 60%. Egypt will continue to make the best use of aid from Arab Gulf countries, as well as issue new securities to finance projects including Islamic Sukuk and international bonds, said Ismail. For his part, the governor of Egypt's central bank Tarek Amer said the bank's main objective in the upcoming years will be boosting the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The unemployment rate is targeted at 5% in 2030, down from 12.8% in 2015. Population poverty rate should fall to 15%, down from 26.3%, according to the government vision. (ahramonline)