CAIRO — Underdevelopment and extreme poverty in Upper Egypt recently hit the headlines when a comment by Local Development Minister Abu Bakr al-Gendy sparked an outcry among Upper Egyptians. Speaking by phone on “Al-Hayat al-Youm” on Jan. 14, Gendy remarked on the need to “encourage investments in Upper Egypt that create job opportunities to stop Upper Egyptians from taking the train to Cairo, where they create slums.” Upper Egyptians were, as one might expect, offended.

Gendy apologized the following day on “Ala Masouliyati,” the talk show hosted by Sada al-Balad. He explained that what he meant was that by developing Upper Egypt governorates, residents would no longer be forced to migrate to Cairo in search of jobs. The controversy over his choice of words has ignited discussion about the economic situation in Upper Egypt — the location of 10 of Egypt’s 27 governorates — and the measures needed to improve life there.

According to a 2015 report by the Central Agency for Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), the poverty rate in Upper Egypt exceeds 50%. The governorates have the highest level of internal and external migration amid a staggering 80% unemployment rate. During a CAPMAS event on Jan. 15, Gendy, who once led the agency, noted that only 12% of the villages have a sanitary sewage system.

Gendy then said in a Jan. 17 press statement that his ministry is finalizing a draft law to establish the South Upper Egypt Development Authority, in coordination with the Justice Ministry, with the goal of accelerating comprehensive economic, social and urban development in seven governorates extending from the Red Sea inland. To that end, the authority will be tasked with promoting investments and initiating developmental projects to generate high rates of employment. Gendy said the draft law is a ministry priority.