Requirements for activating local economic development projects within the framework of strategic plans for small cities to achieve Sustainable Development, (Case Study: Samanoud City)

The local economic development (LED) creates economic projects and activities that
support the local communities’ economy through the involvement of all stakeholders to create
job opportunities that are suitable for their skills, which improves living standards and quality
of life while lowering poverty rates. Strategic planning for LED helps cities in general and
small cities in particular to increase their capabilities to cope with potential risks that hinder
local economies, which is why the study of the local economy and investment plans was
included in the methodological framework for preparing urban strategic plans. It was
discovered through monitoring and analysing the city of Samanoud's strategic plan, which
serves as one of the small cities in Egypt, that there is a significant gap in the implementation
of LED projects following the adoption of the strategic plan. This is because a significant
portion of the proposed LED projects were not carried out for a variety of administrative,
financial, legislative, and planning issues. To address these issues, a framework for promoting
LED was put forth. It was separated into two groups based on priority, referred to as "highest
priority and lowest priority," and each group has some requirements, including the creation of
a fund organization to support start-up projects and the provision of legislation to support the
fund's organization. Improving the urban and economic environment, encouraging the private
sector, and making people in charge of local administrations more aware of the significance of
LED projects will make the implementation more successful through strategic plans.