The move is in line with presidential directives as the world witnesses exceptional circumstances that apply massive pressure on the states' budgets, including Egypt.

These circumstances include soaring prices of commodities and services, the disruption of supply chains, and the rising of finance cost, said Minister of Finance Mohamed Maait.

The new budget is set to start in June 2023 and ends in July 2024.

The dialogue, which will be run by the minister himself, will be conducted in six sessions in the presence of both the ministry's senior officials and representatives from all society segments, the statement added.

The attendees will include representatives of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce, the Federation of Industries, the Export Councils, the Investors Union, the businessmen’s associations, the business youth council, the House of Representatives and the Senate.

In addition, the meeting will be attended by representatives of women and people with disabilities, university youth, economists, university professors and research centres, among others, according to the statement.

Minister Maait said that the ministry aims to achieve a fair distribution of budget appropriations in a manner that both considers the demands of growth and development for all regions and sections of society and deals with the impacts of national and global economic challenges.

The new budget, he added, will seek to expand the social safety network, mitigate the impacts of the global inflationary wave and focus on development priorities. It will also seek to complement the presidential countryside-focused initiative of Decent Life.

Maait's remarks echoed comments made by prime minister Mostafa Madbouly, who stressed that the new budget will focus on social protection allocations.

Diaa Rashwan, coordinator of Egypt's National Dialogue, welcomed Maait's call, saying that the National Dialogue's committees include a sub-committee for the country's budget.

In a statement, Rashwan called on Maait to hold the event he called for as part of the activities of the National Dialogue.