Egypt aims to cut customs clearance time to two days, a move expected to save $284 million, enhance commercial competitiveness, and reduce logistical costs, Minister of Investment and External Trade Hassan El Khatib announced on January 13. The plan was first revealed during the “Future of Egypt’s Engineering Industries Exports” conference, organized by the Engineering Industries Export Council in November. The plan is set to be implemented in two phases, according to a statement from the investment ministry. The first phase aims to reduce customs clearance time to four days, improving customs operations. The second phase will further reduce clearance…
Author: Fatema Fouad
Private sector investments in Egypt totaled EGP 133.1 billion in the first quarter of FY 2024/25, accounting for 63.5% of total investments, according to the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation’s 2024 Annual Report, which highlights the country’s economic progress across various sectors. This marks a 30% increase compared to FY 2023/2024. Minister Rania Al-Mashat noted that “this update comes in line with the government’s objectives to increase the share of private investment to reach 50% of total investments by FY 2024/2025.” Conversely, the ministry’s data revealed a 60% slowdown in public investment, dropping to EGP 57 billion…
In an era of technological advancements, governments have to capitalize on the power of innovative industries, such as video gaming, that strongly appeal to younger generations. Mayuri Prasad, business partnership lead at Stream Shreek, noted in June that gaming in the Middle East “appeals to a broad demographic, especially the youth, ensuring a larger market and consistent revenue from in-game purchases and esports.” The latter refers to competitions with prize money in specific games to see who is best. In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the gaming economy has exploded from a niche interest to a mainstream…
The Egyptian government is finalizing a strategic charter to strengthen the startup ecosystem, with plans to release it in the first quarter of 2025, outlining key strategies and recommendations to support startups, according to Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat. New startups charter The new charter is an initiative of the recently created Entrepreneurship Ministerial Committee to enhance startups’ capabilities and improve the entrepreneurial ecosystem. It also aims to promote sustainable and rapid economic growth driven by competitiveness and knowledge, while contributing to the creation of quality job opportunities, a statement showed. Al-Mashat highlighted that the…
Demand for foreign workers in advanced economies presents a significant opportunity for Egyptians seeking employment abroad. “Many countries are seeking to attract Egyptian workers, especially skilled workers,” Heba Ahmed, director of the operations department at the Ministry of Labor, told the media in June, Statistics from the Ministry of Immigration reveal a massive increase in the number of Egyptians abroad, skyrocketing from 2.7 million in 2013 to 14 million in 2023, with more than 50% of them working in the GCC. More Egyptian workers going to advanced economies could significantly boost remittances. Malek Adly, head of the Egyptian Centre for…
Egypt’s United Bank has fixed the offer price of its initial public offering (IPO) for individual investors at EGP 13.85 ($0.28) apiece to raise a total of EGP 4.6 billion ($92.1 million). The public offering of 16.5 million shares for individual investors will remain open until December 3. According to a statement posted on the local bourse, individual investors must place orders for a minimum of 100 shares. United Bank is selling a 30% stake of its 1.1 billion shares currently owned by the Central Bank of Egypt. The first tranche of the offering, available to institutional investors and representing…
Egypt has allocated EGP 10 billion ($201.5 million) to settle its financial obligations to pharmaceutical and medical supply companies, according to an official statement, as part of efforts to stabilize the sector. Addressing shortages Minister of Finance Ahmed Kouchouk stated that EGP 4 billion has already been secured, with an additional EGP 3 billion to be provided next week, followed by another EGP 3 billion the week after, as the government strives to maximize the supply of medications within the market. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly emphasized that “the government is exerting every effort to pay all dues owed to pharmaceutical…
Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Karim Badawi, has outlined key priorities for the ministry during the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt (AmCham Egypt) monthly luncheon on November 18, emphasizing the need to boost local production alongside ongoing exploration activities. Badawi introduced six main pillars that guide the ministry’s efforts. The first pillar focuses on meeting the local market’s needs for petroleum products, which requires maximizing production and exploration activities. The second pillar aims to leverage Egypt’s abundant petroleum resources and infrastructure to unlock added value through refineries and petrochemical industries. By capitalizing on these resources, Egypt can…
The Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) has awarded four exploration blocks to four companies in the latest bid round conducted through the Egypt Upstream Gateway. Exploration blocks The exploration blocks include NW El Moghra in the Western Desert, W. Kheir in the Eastern Desert, and E. El-Galalla & E. El-Hammed in the Gulf of Suez. The awarded companies are CIS Gaz, Aten, Dragon Oil, and Terra Petroleum. The companies will explore the blocks spanning approximately 4,000 square kilometers. According to Egypt Upstream Gateway, the committed minimum investment for the initial exploration phases amounts to $71 million, with plans to drill…
According to the World Health Organization, Egypt’s highly fragmented health system “leads to difficulties in regulation and ensuring quality and standards of care.” Those “difficulties” are exacerbated by the system’s diverse array of public and private healthcare providers. It also makes consistent quality in healthcare services a major concern. To overcome those challenges, President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi ratified a new law in June that was approved by the House of Representatives in May. It allows private investors to manage and operate public hospitals for three to 15 years while staying under state ownership. According to Ahram Online, Minister of Health…