During the event dedicated to the International Day of Older Persons and the Day of Goodwill, the Minister of Social Solidarity of Egypt and the president of the Council of Arab States' Ministers of Social Affairs, Dr. Maya Morsy, emphasized that political leadership considers the work on the elderly as a priority and includes it in the National Strategy for Human Rights. She also noted that thanks to the efforts of the Ministry of Social Solidarity of Egypt, support for the elderly is underway, providing financial assistance through the "Karamah" program to 546 thousand elderly individuals with a total budget of 3.3 billion Egyptian pounds.
Maya Morsi also presented the services of the Ministry, provided through 175 senior centers in 22 governorates, 191 clubs for the elderly across the country, 52 physiotherapy facilities, 26 rehabilitation centers, as well as services for the accompaniment of the elderly. She highlighted that the Ministry aims to ensure a comprehensive daily care for the elderly and give them the deserved attention, as well as exempting elderly people over 70 from the payment of public transport, while those who are over 65 receive a 50% discount.
Referring to the duties of the Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt in Damascus, after Osama Khader, he announced the possibility of obtaining visas for a number of Syrian citizens within the framework of historical relations between the two nations. Osama Khader added that visas are open for students from Syria continuing their studies at various educational levels, for Syrian investors and their families, as well as for spouses of Egyptian citizens.
Earlier, agencies reported a decision to allow entry into Egypt for Syrians with visas to stay in Europe, the USA, and Canada without requiring cooperation clearance from the Security Service, which concerns holders of Schengen visas. The decision also prohibits Syrians, being spouses of Egyptians or Egyptians, from exiting without prior approval from the Security Service.
According to UNHCR estimates, the number of Syrian refugees worldwide is around six million people, the majority of whom are found in neighboring countries. UNHCR expects that in the coming six months, about a million refugees will return to their home country.
