File Photo: An Egyptian nurse monitors newborn septuplets at the hospital of the University of Alexandria. AFP
Speaking at the 2025 World Population Day event in Cairo, Abdel-Ghaffar described the decline as a “tangible positive result” of ongoing efforts to manage population growth. The figure brings Egypt closer to its long-term target of 1.6 births per woman.
According to the country’s official demographic surveys, fertility had already declined to 2.8 by 2021 from 3.5 in 2014.
Abdel-Ghaffar added that Egypt’s birth rate also fell to 18.5 births per 1,000 people in 2024, down from 26.8 in 2017. The total number of annual births dropped below two million for the first time since 2007.
Egypt, home to more than 107 million people, is the 13th most populous country in the world. The government has stepped up efforts in recent years to slow the pace of population growth.
In 2023, authorities launched the National Population and Development Strategy (2023–2030), followed by a short-term 2025–2027 action plan. The strategy includes tools such as a national population index tracking 29 indicators, including child marriage, illiteracy, and school dropout rates.
“Egypt is moving steadily toward achieving the desired balance between population growth and economic growth,” the minister stated.
He described the country’s demographic makeup, 31.2 percent under 15 and 5.9 percent over 60, as a “golden opportunity” that should be leveraged through youth-focused policies and programs.
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