This Week in Egypt: Week 13-2023 ( March 27- April 2)

Top Headlines

  • Egypt’s Sisi heads to Saudi Arabia amid financial pressure, regional realignment
  • Egypt raises interest rates again as inflation continues to creep up
  • Egypt and Syria commit to closer ties as foreign minister visits Cairo
  • Biden to nominate career diplomat as envoy to Egypt
  • Egypt joins BRICS’ New Development Bank
  • Egypt eases tourist visa requirements for China, Iran, India, Turkey, Morocco, Algeria and Israel

Syrian foreign minister visits Cairo

Main Headlines

Monday

  • Egypt eases tourist visa requirements for China, Iran, India, Turkey, Morocco, Algeria and Israel

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

  • Egypt’s Sisi heads to Saudi Arabia amid financial pressure, regional realignment
  • Iraqi parliament speaker in Cairo for talks with Egypt’s FM
  • The fight against terrorism in Sinai on par with the October War victory: Egypt’s Sisi
  • Egypt’s Sisi: Carrying weapons in Sinai or elsewhere in Egypt will not be repeated

Reports/Read

From Twitter

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My Podcast with The Greek Current: Are Turkey and Egypt on a path toward normalizing relations?

Last week, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was in Egypt on Saturday to push to restore full diplomatic relations between the two countries. I joined joins Thanos Davelis to look at what this visit means for Egypt-Turkey relations, and break down whether Turkey can deliver on the steps Egypt wants it to take if it is to normalize relations. In short, I believe Egypt is not in a rush to fully normalise relations with Turkey, despite the charm offensive. Also Egypt doesn’t want to compromise its already established relations with Greece and Cyprus. Interestingly, Fehim Tastekin wrote, in Al-Monitor, a piece that shares the same conclusion

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This Week In Egypt: Week 12-2023 ( March 20-26)

Top Headlines

  • IMF is preparing for first review of Egypt programme
  • Egypt receives three Cyclone-class patrol boats from US
  • Swiftships to provide 7 Additional Coastal Patrol Crafts to Egypt
  • Ramadan begins in Mideast amid high costs, hopes for peace
  • Ancient Egypt excavation uncovers 2,000 mummified ram heads at Abydos

Main Headlines

Monday

  • Egypt’s Sisi discusses nuclear plant, grains trade with Russian officials
  • Palestinian officials on Monday expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the security summit with Israel in the Egyptian Red Sea city of  Sharm El-Sheikh 
  • Egypt rejects Israeli ‘irresponsible and inflammatory’ statements concerning existence of Palestinians
  • Egypt’s first complete Zodiac is uncovered in Luxor’s Temple of Esna

Tuesday

  • Egypt receives three Cyclone-class patrol boats  from US
  • Egypt condemns inclusion of Jordanian, Palestinian territories in a map of Israel by Israeli minister
  • Egypt started experimental production at “Iqat” gold mine: Petroleum minister
  • Egypt signs protocol with Spanish Talgo to manufacture rail train carriages

Wednesday

  • Gold prices in Egypt fall nearly 6% amid anticipation of US interest rate decision
  • Egypt bans sugar exports for three months: Trade minister
  • Suez Canal Economic Zone partners with Abu Dhabi Ports in multi-million pound projects
  • 4.1 magnitude earthquake hits Upper Egypt’s Aswan, no casualties reported

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Reports/ Read

From Twitter

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This Week in Egypt: Week 11-2023 ( March 13-19)

Top Headlines

  • Turkey’s foreign minister in Cairo for first time since ties cut a decade ago
  • Egypt’s FM: Egypt and Turkey held ‘in-depth, frank’ consultations in Cairo meeting
  • Turkish FM: A meeting between Erdogan and Sisi would take place “after the Turkish elections.”
  • Egypt’s FM says looks forward to receiving new Cypriot counterpart in Cairo
  • Egypt presses on with mega water projects despite burden on state coffers
  • Time magazine selects Giza historic sites as one of the World’s Greatest Places to visit in 2023

Main Headlines

Monday

  • Regional crises must be resolved without interference in internal affairs of states: Egypt’s Sisi
  • Egypt’s FM stresses on political solution for Syrian crisis in meeting with UN special envoy to Syria

Tuesday

Wednesday

  • UNSC backing of initiative to form Libyan team to prepare for polls undermines state institutions’ role: Egypt
  • Egypt records 46% increase in number of tourists in 2022
  • Egypt supports US nominee for World Bank Group president
  • Egypt is racing against time to add 3.5 million feddans of agricultural land

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Reports

From Twitter

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This Week in Egypt: Week 10-2023 ( March 6-12)

Top Headlines

  • Egypt’s annual inflation soars to 31.9 % in February
  • Egypt’s pound has weakened more than 6% against the US dollar on the black market
  • US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Egyptian President al-Sisi reaffirmed their countries’ close military ties
  • Egyptian Presidency: Saudi-Iranian deal is an important step to remove points of tension in the region
  • Egypt withdraws from UN grain treaty prompting sadness and concern
  • German, UAE, Egypt consortium signs $34 billion Hydrogen deal with Mauritania
  • Egypt eases citizenship terms for foreigners  
  • Archaeologists in Egypt unearth Sphinx-like Roman-era statue

Main Headlines

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

  • US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Egyptian President al-Sisi reaffirmed their countries’ close military ties
  • German, UAE, Egypt consortium signs $34 billion Hydrogen deal with Mauritania

Thursday

  • Egypt’s annual urban consumer inflation rate in February leapt to a higher-than-expected 31.9%
  • Egypt comes almost full circle in winning back and then losing the confidence of bond investors just over two months after sealing a deal with the IMF
  • Egypt eases citizenship terms for foreigners
  • Energean confirms delivery of first gas development in Egypt

  • Friday

Saturday

  • Saudi-Iranian deal is an ‘important step’ to remove points of tension in the region: Egyptian presidency
  • Egypt withdraws from UN grain treaty prompting sadness and concern
  • China Energy to build $5.1bn green hydrogen plant in Egypt

Sunday

  • Greek court sentences Egyptian man to 280 years in prison for ‘trafficking in migrants’
  • Egypt looks to begin offering of military firms this week 
  •  

Reports

  • Egypt seeks to attract Islamic investors with debut sukuk, EGX Sharia index
  • Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III’s Meetings with Egyptian President Al-Sissi  

From Twitter

Plus

  • Egypt ranks 3rd most physically attractive Arab nation
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This Week in Egypt: Week 9-2023 ( Feb 27- March 5)

Top Headlines

  • 4,500-year-old chamber discovered inside Great Pyramid in Egypt
  • Egypt’s FM Shoukry visits Syria, Turkey in renewed earthquake diplomacy
  • Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin to visit Israel, Jordan, and Egypt
  • Egypt’s net foreign assets decline by $1.7 billion in January, but rose slightly in February. 
  • Egypt increases fuel prices for various octanes by EGP 0.75 to EGP 1 per litre

Main Headlines

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

  • Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin to visit Israel, Jordan, and Egypt
  • Egypt raises minimum wage for government employees to EGP 3,500 & pensions by 15% as of 1 April
  • Egypt increases fuel prices for various octanes by EGP 0.75 to EGP 1 per litre
  • Egypt sends more relief aid to quake-hit Syria and Turkey

Friday

  • 4,500-year-old chamber discovered inside Great Pyramid in Egypt
  • Saudi FM meets with Egyptian counterpart on the sidelines of a G20 meeting  
  • Egypt condemned on Friday an Israeli minister’s call to “wipe out” the Palestinian village of Huwara

Saturday

  • Germany is keen to import more LNG from Egypt: Ambassador Hartmann

Sunday

Reports/Read

From Twitter

 

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This Week in Egypt: Week 7-2023 ( Feb 13-19)

Due to unforeseen health issue, I could only compile a shorter version of my weekly Egypt’s newsletter. Apology no podcast this week.

Top Headlines

  • Egypt’s president Sisi praises UAE, seeking to heal gift aid rift 
  • Egypt is expected to maintain high volumes of LNG delivery to Europe
  • Egyptian woman found dead under rubble in Hatay, Turkey
  • Egypt says 6 Christian nationals freed from Libya detention
  • Egypt FM reiterates call to stop foreign interference in Libya’s affairs, withdraw mercenaries

Main Headlines 

Monday

  • Egypt’s president praises UAE, seeking to heal gift aid rift
  • Egypt managed to confront daunting challenges after 2011: Sisi at WGS 2023

Tuesday

  • Egypt is expected to maintain high volumes of LNG delivery to Europe: EU energy commissioner
  • Egypt’s external debt inches down to $155 billion in 1Q FY2022/2023: CBE
  • Claims that Egypt’s model prison is allegedly rife with abuses by inmates’ families and activists 

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

  • Egyptian woman found dead under rubble in Hatay, Turkey: Foreign ministry
  • Egypt’s Sisi congratulates Cyprus’s new president on his election

Sunday

Reports

Read

From Twitter

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This Week in Egypt: Week 6-2023 ( Feb 6-12)

Top Headlines

  • Egypt’s inflation continues to surge as food prices rise
  • Moody’s downgrades Egypt’s credit rating from B2 to B3
  • 32 Egyptian state companies’ shares to be sold within a year
  • Egypt offers condolences, aid to quake-hit Turkiye and, Syria; one Egyptian is dead
  • Dutch scientist who predicted Turkey earthquake raises fears in Egypt
  • Egypt’s Sisi seeks to tamp-down media clash with Saudi Arabia
  • Egypt hold talks seeking to prevent Israeli-Palestinian escalation in Ramadan
  • Egypt’s population is expected to reach 157 million in 2050

Egyptian aid arrives in Turkey

Main Headlines

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

  • EU Commissioner Kadri Simson to visit Egypt to discuss energy security 
  • Sisi, Mitsotakis reaffirm keenness to boost Egypt-Greece investment, energy cooperation
  • Dealer fled UK to Egypt after arrest over ‘large scale’ drugs gang UK to Egypt

Saturday

Sunday

  • One Egyptian is rescued and two dead in Turkey earthquake
  • Dutch scientist who predicted Turkey earthquake raises fears in Egypt 
  • President Sheikh Mohamed welcomes Egypt’s President El Sisi to Abu-Dhabi
  • Egypt’s Sisi will be guest of honor at World Government Summit 2023  in Dubai 
  • Israel’s IDF and police foil NIS 50m. drug smuggling operation near Egypt
  • Egypt’s population is expected to reach 157 million in 2050

Reports

Read

  • Hizballah Leader provokes friction with Egypt. Hany Ghoraba

From Twitter

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This Week in Egypt: Week 5-2023 ( Jan 30- Feb 5)

Top Headlines

  • Egyptian pound slides past EGP 30 against USD 
  • Egypt’s central bank leaves key interest rates unchanged
  • US Blinken says U.S. will keep pressing Egypt on human rights
  • Egyptian FM holds talks with Lavrov in Russia, a day after meeting Blinken
  • Egypt is poised to announce detailed plan for state stake sales
  • In a first, Egypt’s Orthodox Church holds mass for Christians in Saudi Arabia

Main Headlines

Monday

Tuesday

  • Egyptian FM holds talks with Lavrov in Russia, a day after meeting Blinken
  • Collective decline in Egypt’s stock market indexes at closing on Tuesday
  • In a first, Egypt’s Orthodox Church holds mass for Christians in Saudi Arabia

Wednesday

Thursday

  • Egyptian pound slips further against US dollar to 30.3 on Thursday
  • Suez Canal achieves highest monthly revenue in its history in January at $802 million

Friday

  • Egypt’s central bank leaves key interest rates unchanged
  • Egypt hosts new edition of Arab world’s largest book fair amid economic crisis
  • Air Arabia Egypt launches new route between Cairo and Jazan in Saudi Arabia

Saturday

Sunday

Reports

  • Blinken seeks detainee progress, but releases are Egypt’s ‘prerogative’. Elizabeth Hagedorn
  • Saudi writers’ criticism of Sisi’s economic model prompts Egyptian backlash. Middle East Eye 
  • LGBT people are hunted by gangs and police in Egypt. BBC 

From Twitter

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This Week in Egypt: Week 4-2023 ( Jan 23-29)

Top Headlines

  • US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Egypt at the start of a Middle East trip 
  • CIA director visited Egypt, met with President Sisi
  • Egypt expresses its strong rejection and condemnation of East Jerusalem attack, warns of risks of escalation
  • Egypt’s Sisi, India’s Modi oversee Indian Republic Day parade featuring Egypt’s Armed Forces
  • Egypt’s oldest mummy found ‘covered in layers of gold’ following year-long excavation

Sec Blinken in Cairo– photo vis US State Dept

Main Headlines

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

  • Complete Roman city is uncovered in Egypt’s Luxor
  • Egypt receives 63,000 tons of Russian wheat at Safaga port
  • Indian firms express ‘huge interest’ in investing in Egypt clean energy & infrastructure projects
  • Egypt expresses ‘full solidarity’ with Azerbaijan after attack on its embassy in Tehran

Saturday

Sunday

  • US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Egypt at the start of a Middle East trip 
  • US stands with Egypt, its people in their pursuit of prosperous future: State department
  • President Sisi underscores special Egypt-Armenia ties in historic first visit to the country
  • Egypt, Azerbaijan leaders discuss boosting bilateral relations in Baku

Report/ Read

From Twitter

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