Incumbent President Hosni Mubarak was re-elected in Egypt's first multi-candidate presidential election, the Presidential Election Commission announced on Friday.

During his presidential campaigns from Aug. 17 to Sept. 4, Mubarak delivered speeches on his platform throughout the country to address specific concerns for the people.

The first priority is to solve unemployment problem. Mubarak has promised to create 4.5 million jobs in the next six years, primarily in the sectors of industry, agriculture and tourism by enhancing investment climate.

He called for the establishment of five specific programs, namely introduction of micro-lending for small businesses, enhancement of the labor market, expanding the industrial base, reclamation and cultivation of desert land and developing tourism.

The micro-lending program will provide 3 billion Egyptian pounds (520 million US dollars) to finance small businesses over the next six years, creating 100,000 jobs in the market annually.

In order to assist the agricultural sector, one of Egypt's key sectors, the program will embark on an ambitious land reclamation project, building 400 new villages in the desert and creating 420,000 jobs over the next six years.

On improving the people's standards of living, Mubarak has planned to implement 12 projects related to housing, education, health care, transportation and infrastructure, access to clean water and sewage system networks and squatter settlements.

The highlights of the part are to build 500,000 homes for youth, construct 3,500 schools, provide health insurance for every citizen, improve overall quality of transportation, supply clean drinking water to the remaining villages, as well as ensure a better income for all.

Meanwhile, a plan will be adopted to double basic salaries of 3.5 million low-ranking civil servants during the next six years and increase salaries of high-ranking civil servants by 75 percent.

Another plan will develop the pension system to create 1,000 new social security and pension funds for uninsured senior citizens and double the number of families receiving social security benefits from 650,000 to 1.3 million.

The political reform program entitled "Free Citizens in a Democratic Nation" is considered one of highlights of Mubarak's electoral platform and details a series of political reforms which will take place over the next six years with the aim of advancing democracy.

The program details a series of constitutional and legislative reforms and amendments to create greater balance between different branches of government and reinforce the judiciary's independence.

There are also reforms related to freedom of expression, which will promote civil liberties and freedom of press.

On foreign policy, Mubarak stressed that Egypt will continue to support the Palestinians' struggle for their independent state and Iraq's efforts to safeguard stability and national unity.

Source: Xinhua