During discussions on youth empowerment and promoting entrepreneurship, Fathy noted that President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi designated 2019 as the Year of Youth as a key step to empower young people.

President El-Sisi also directed the formation of the National Youth Conference and the National Training Academy (NTA) to train youth cadres in all fields, he noted.

The government also formed The Coordination's Committee of Party's Youth Leaders and Politicians (CPYP) to train youth political cadres, he said.

The CPYP has played an important role in enabling young people run for Parliament, Fathy stressed.

For his part, Zaky El-Kady, the rapporteur’s assistant, stressed that the dialogue presents an opportunity to create a permanent and sustainable national political mechanism based on diversity and differences.

El-Kady said he toured villages, universities, and cities to identify youth proposals ahead of the National Dialogue.

Diversity in society
 

Senator Ahmed Diab, who is also the President of the Egyptian Professional Clubs Association, argued for the need to pro-actively implement the law-mandated five percent quota for people with disabilities in education and employment toward better integration in society.

“People with disabilities are symbols for determination and therefore it is necessary to actively implement the five percent law,” Diab stated. 

Encouraging entrepreneurship
 

Islam Abu Leila, the representative of the Constitution Party at the National Dialogue, argued the importance of solving market problems and filling other market shortages through youth entrepreneurship.

According to Abu Leila, the main challenges facing entrepreneurs include difficulty in securing initial funds to start projects, bureaucratic red tape, and shortages in skilled labour.

In order to face these challenges Abu Leila proposed easing procedures for loans directed to SMEs, exempting these companies from taxes for five years, in addition to establishing centres for training and qualifying potential employees.

Meanwhile, Professor of Economics and Political Science Ahmed El-Sayed said entrepreneurship levels in Egypt are half global avarages.

To raise these levels, El-Sayed argued the government needs to improve the business and investment environments.