81013059

open access

Version of Record

エジプトにおける新型コロナウイルス感染症の拡大と社会保障

The COVID-19 Pandemic and Social Protection in Egypt

国際協力論集

29(2)

119-131

神戸大学大学院国際協力研究科

2022-01

2022-02-03

This article analyses the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on social protection in Egypt, where the military coup in 2013 was a turning point in terms of social protection policy. Although the government of Egypt incurred tremendous social expenditure during the presidency of Hosni Mubarak (1981–2011), institutions intended to alleviate the social risks of citizens were inefficient, especially those related to poverty and unemployment. Nonetheless, Mubarak and the subsequent presidents failed to implement reforms in institutions to improve their efficiency out of fear that drastic reforms would trigger social unrest. During the presidency of Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (2014–the present), however, reforms were initiated to construct an efficient and inclusive social protection system. In 2014, a food subsidy programme introduced smart cards to control the ration of subsidised foods per household. Moreover, a social assistance programme developed new and efficient schemes for poverty alleviation (Takaful wa Karama) in the same year. In addition, two social insurance programmes (i.e. pension and medical insurance) were reformed to cover more citizens, especially those who were excluded from the social insurance schemes (e.g. workers in the informal sector). With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the reformed social protection system in Egypt was challenged. In response, the Sisi government endeavoured to alleviate shocks from the pandemic by implementing emergency measures, such as the expansion of Takaful wa Karama and cash transfer to unemployed workers, to relieve economically vulnerable citizens. However, it failed to reduce the social risks triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic among middle-class citizens. Although the majority of this group lacked involvement in social insurance programmes, such emergency measures do not cover them. Therefore, the Sisi government should develop a more inclusive social protection system by expanding the scope of social insurance programmes.

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