Banking & Finance Egyptian pound weakens the most in four months on dollar flight Egypt weakened its currency on Monday by the most in more than four months, with the Egyptian pound falling by more than 0.10 pounds to the dollar, according to Refinitiv data. The pound was trading at 19.62 to the dollar at 1337 GMT, down from 19.49 at the open. Foreign currency has dried up in […] October 4, 2022
Sustainability King Charles will not attend Cop27 climate summit in Egypt Britain’s King Charles III will not attend the United Nations climate change summit in Egypt next month, a royal source said on Sunday, as the new monarch steps back from his previous high-profile campaigning. Buckingham Palace sought government advice about the Cop27 summit and it was unanimously agreed that it would not be right for […] October 3, 2022
Banking & Finance Egypt’s net foreign assets sink again in August Egypt’s net foreign assets fell by 18.06 billion Egyptian pounds ($925 million) in August, resuming a near year-long decline that had paused the month before, according to central bank data. The central bank has been relying on net foreign assets (NFAs) – banking system assets owed by non-residents minus liabilities – to help support the […] October 3, 2022
Energy Egypt discovers five new gas fields State-owned Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company (EGAS) has discovered five new gas fields in the Mediterranean sea and the Nile Delta, Egypt Today newspaper reported. The fields have a total reserve of about 317 billion cubic feet of gas, in addition to existing reserves of 471 billion cubic feet after drilling the Bashrush 3 well […] September 30, 2022
Sustainability Egypt wants to discuss climate change compensation at Cop27 Egypt, which is hosting the upcoming Cop27 climate negotiations, is working on how to include compensation for economic losses due to climate catastrophes on the formal agenda of the November summit, as pressure grows from vulnerable countries to prioritise the issue, the country’s special representative of the summit said on Wednesday. Wael Aboulmagd, Egypt’s special […] September 29, 2022
Sustainability Egypt’s new fund eyes agritech startups in Mideast and Africa A new climate resilience fund in Egypt plans to raise $25 million to invest in nature-positive and sustainable agriculture startups across the Middle East and Africa, The National newspaper reported. The fund will invest $12.5 million in Egyptian ventures, while the rest will be equally split between the two regions. It will target pre-seed startups, […] September 28, 2022
Banking & Finance Egypt’s import squeeze hobbles economy as US dollars run short Christeen Aiad from eastern Cairo had been hoping to buy a small automatic car this year, but rules preventing importers trading in scarce dollars put paid to that and she is having to get around on her bicycle instead. The war in Ukraine has deepened Egypt’s economic woes. It sent the import-reliant nation’s bill for […] September 28, 2022
Economy Egypt expects oil and gas discoveries in Red Sea region Egypt has inked three agreements to look for oil and gas reserves in the Red Sea region with major international companies, Egypt Today reported, citing Minister of Petroleum Tarek El-Molla. Seismic research is currently being completed in preparation for the start of drilling operations, he said, adding there were good petroleum prospects in the Red […] September 27, 2022
Banking & Finance Egypt eyes more green ‘Samurai’ bonds amid Japanese demand Egypt is considering issuing more green Samurai bonds with Japan during the coming months, Egypt Today newspaper reported, citing finance minister Mohamed Maait. The country’s first Samurai bonds, valued at 60 billion Japanese yen ($416.47 million), attracted many Japanese investors, he stated. The Samurai bond is a yen-denominated bond issued in Tokyo by non-Japanese firms […] September 26, 2022
Business of Sport Egypt to bid for 2036 Olympic Games Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has approved the Egyptian sports authorities to make a bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games, the Daily News Egypt reported. He highlighted the country’s efforts to develop and modernise the sports infrastructure, as well as the construction of the Egyptian City for the Olympic Games in the New Administrative […] September 25, 2022
Energy Egypt expects to double monthly income from natural gas to $1bn Egypt is earning about $500 million monthly from natural gas exports and aims to raise that figure to $1 billion “in the coming period,” Finance Minister Mohamed Maait said in a statement on Thursday. The statement, based on comments by Maait at a Bloomberg forum, gave no comparative figures on what Egypt had been earning […] September 23, 2022
Banking & Finance Egypt central bank bucks trends, keeps interest rates unchanged The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE), bucking analyst expectations, left its overnight interest rates unchanged on Thursday, saying it believed inflation was under control over the medium term. The bank also raised the reserve ratio to 18 percent from 14 percent, saying that this would help tighten liquidity. The bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) kept […] September 23, 2022
Tech Big-name tech businesses choose Egypt as place to outsource The Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) has recorded a rise in the number of business services and IT jobs offshored to Egypt. At least 19 global services providers and leading tech companies have announced their expansion plans in the country and four new market entrants established their offices and research and development centres during […] September 20, 2022
Energy Egypt in talks with Maersk for $15bn ‘green’ energy project Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has directed the government to cooperate with Danish shipping major Maersk Group to establish an integrated network to produce and distribute green energy and clean fuels for ships, according to local media reports. Maersk chief executive Soren Skou discussed with the president setting up a project to produce clean fuel […] September 20, 2022
Tech Apple to hike App Store prices in Egypt Apple Inc. announced increasing prices of apps and in-app purchases on its App Store in several countries, the Cupertino-based firm said in a blog post. The countries include Egypt, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Poland, South Korea, Sweden, Vietnam, and all territories that use the euro currency. The new prices, excluding auto-renewable subscriptions, will be effective as […] September 20, 2022
Economy Egypt’s sovereign fund says 44 projects worth $7.3bn under study Sovereign Fund of Egypt is currently studying 44 projects worth EGP 140 billion ($7.34 billion) in seven sectors, the Egypt Times newspaper reported, citing the fund’s executive director Ayman Soliman. The fund last year signed binding agreements for 10 projects worth EGP 25.5 billion ($1.34 billion), he said. The investments are in utilities and infrastructure, […] September 19, 2022
Banking & Finance Egypt’s Suez Canal to increase transit fees by up to 15% in 2023 Egypt will increase fees for ships passing through the Suez Canal by 15 percent in 2023, Suez Canal Authority (SCA) chairman Osama Rabie said. Transit fees for bulk and tourist ships will be raised by 10 percent. He said that the increased fees for passing the canal are “inevitable and a necessity” to deal with […] September 18, 2022
Economy Egypt to establish company to process VAT refunds to foreigners The Egyptian Cabinet has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Finance to establish an Egyptian joint stock company to set up a value-added tax (VAT) refund system, Egypt Today reported. Global Blue Egypt Company will be a joint venture between Global Blue Public Limited and Global Blue Holland Private Limited. The company will implement […] September 16, 2022
Retail Gulf investor among consortium buying 33% of Egyptian Domty A consortium has acquired about 33 percent of Arabian Food Industries Co.(Domty) in a tender offer worth about EGP512 million ($26.5 million), Expedition Investments, a special purpose investment vehicle, told Reuters on Wednesday. The deal was priced at EGP5.50 per share, up from EGP5.00 at the beginning of the tender offer, after a fairness opinion […] September 15, 2022
Banking & Finance Egypt issues warnings against dealing in virtual currencies Egypt’s central bank has reiterated its warning against dealing with cryptocurrencies through regional or global platforms, a local media outlet reported. The Central Bank of Egypt said that virtual currencies are not issued by the central bank or any official authority; therefore, they are not deemed legal tender, the newspaper said, citing a bank statement. […] September 14, 2022