Marrakech to Host IMF-World Bank Meetings as Planned

A view of the damage which was caused by the earthquake in the town of Imi N'tala, outside Marrakech, Morocco, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (AP)
A view of the damage which was caused by the earthquake in the town of Imi N'tala, outside Marrakech, Morocco, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (AP)
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Marrakech to Host IMF-World Bank Meetings as Planned

A view of the damage which was caused by the earthquake in the town of Imi N'tala, outside Marrakech, Morocco, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (AP)
A view of the damage which was caused by the earthquake in the town of Imi N'tala, outside Marrakech, Morocco, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (AP)

Marrakech will host the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank as planned on Oct. 9-15, Morocco's central bank governor said on Thursday.

Morocco was struck by a 6.8 magnitude quake centered on the High Atlas Mountains late on Friday that left more than 2,900 dead, most of them in the region south of Marrakech.

Abdellatif Jouahri was speaking to a conference bringing together participants from central banks in the Middle East and North Africa, saying the event was in preparation for the annual meetings, which would take place as planned.

Giant tents could be seen in the locality where the Moroccan government plans to host the annual meetings.



Egypt's Net Foreign Assets Retreat in April after March Jump

A general view of the new headquarters of Central Bank of Egypt, at the New Administrative Capital (NAC) east of Cairo, Egypt December 8, 2023. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh/File Photo
A general view of the new headquarters of Central Bank of Egypt, at the New Administrative Capital (NAC) east of Cairo, Egypt December 8, 2023. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh/File Photo
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Egypt's Net Foreign Assets Retreat in April after March Jump

A general view of the new headquarters of Central Bank of Egypt, at the New Administrative Capital (NAC) east of Cairo, Egypt December 8, 2023. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh/File Photo
A general view of the new headquarters of Central Bank of Egypt, at the New Administrative Capital (NAC) east of Cairo, Egypt December 8, 2023. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh/File Photo

Egypt's net foreign assets (NFAs) fell by $1.5 billion in April, central bank data showed on Wednesday, retreating from March, when the approval of the fourth review of the country's IMF program sparked a jump.

NFAs slid to the equivalent of $13.54 billion, from $15.08 billion at the end of March, according to Reuters calculations based on official central bank currency exchange rates.

In March, NFAs jumped by $4.9 billion after the International Monetary Fund approved the disbursement to Egypt of $1.2 billion after completing its review of the country's $8 billion economic reform program, Reuters reported.

The IMF also approved a request for a $1.3 billion arrangement under the IMF's resilience and sustainability facility.

The approvals led to an inflow of foreign investment in Egyptian pound treasury bills, bankers said.

Egypt had been using foreign assets, which include assets held by both the central bank and commercial banks, to help prop up its currency since as long ago as September 2021. Net foreign assets turned negative in February 2022 and only returned to positive territory in May last year.

Foreign assets increased in April at both the central bank and commercial banks, while foreign liabilities fell at both as well.