Egypt's Petroleum Minister Inaugurates Gold Ores Analysis Facility

Egypt's Petroleum Minister Tarek El Molla inspects the gold ores and associated minerals examination laboratory. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Egypt's Petroleum Minister Tarek El Molla inspects the gold ores and associated minerals examination laboratory. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Egypt's Petroleum Minister Inaugurates Gold Ores Analysis Facility

Egypt's Petroleum Minister Tarek El Molla inspects the gold ores and associated minerals examination laboratory. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Egypt's Petroleum Minister Tarek El Molla inspects the gold ores and associated minerals examination laboratory. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Egypt's Petroleum Minister Tarek El Molla inaugurated a factory specialized in preparing and analyzing samples extracted from mines at the Um Rus Mine area in Marsa Alam.

The factory would examine the gold ores and associated minerals.

El Molla stressed that the state’s interest in the development of mining activity has resulted in the attraction of world and national investments in this field.

He added that the vision to develop the mining sector – launched in 2018 – created flexibility that accelerated the companies’ operations and helped them achieve added value and returns for the national economy.

During his field visit to the area, he noted that the reforms carried out by the state seek to prepare an investment-friendly environment.

El Molla urged a quick implementation of the investments and plans in the business development and management in the concession area.

Chairman of Nubian Mining Company Issam Khorani confirmed the company’s commitment to its investments in Egypt, presenting the results of the company during the first phase of exploration as proof.

During this phase, the company spent a total of $4.5 billion and this resulted in facilities, infrastructure, geological data maps, and promising research and exploration points in the concession area.

Nubian Mining is on the right track in accelerating the exploitation of mineral wealth and increasing their return on the national economy and their role in sustainable development plans.

The minister further listened to a briefing by the Director of Research and Exploration at Nubian Mining Company, Attia Makhlouf, who noted that the company has conducted geological and structural mapping of most of the concession area and a surface survey of a number of reservoirs and wells in various locations.

He went on to say that the company is carrying out a 3D survey of the Umm al-Rus underground tunnels using the latest 3D portable scanner technologies.



Lebanon's Bonds Rally as Parliament Elects 1st President since 2022

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri shakes hands with Lebanon’s army chief Joseph Aoun after he is elected as the country’s president at the parliament building in Beirut, Lebanon, Jan. 9, 2025. Reuters/Mohamed Azakir
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri shakes hands with Lebanon’s army chief Joseph Aoun after he is elected as the country’s president at the parliament building in Beirut, Lebanon, Jan. 9, 2025. Reuters/Mohamed Azakir
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Lebanon's Bonds Rally as Parliament Elects 1st President since 2022

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri shakes hands with Lebanon’s army chief Joseph Aoun after he is elected as the country’s president at the parliament building in Beirut, Lebanon, Jan. 9, 2025. Reuters/Mohamed Azakir
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri shakes hands with Lebanon’s army chief Joseph Aoun after he is elected as the country’s president at the parliament building in Beirut, Lebanon, Jan. 9, 2025. Reuters/Mohamed Azakir

Lebanese government bonds extended their three-month-long rally on Thursday as the crisis-ravaged country's parliament voted in a new head of state for the first time since 2022.

Lebanese lawmakers elected army chief Joseph Aoun as president. It came after the failure of 12 previous attempts to pick a president and boosts hopes that Lebanon might finally be able to start addressing its dire economic woes.

The country's battered bonds have almost trebled in value since September, when the regional conflict with Israel weakened Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, long viewed as an obstacle to overcoming its political paralysis.

According to Reuters, most of Lebanon's international bonds, which have been in default since 2020, rallied after Aoun's victory was announced to stand 1.3 to 1.7 cents higher on the day and at just over 16 cents on the dollar.

They have risen almost every day since late December, although they remain some of the lowest-priced government bonds in the world, reflecting the scale of Lebanon's difficulties.

With its economy and financial system still reeling from a collapse in 2019, Lebanon is in dire need of international support to rebuild from the conflict, which the World Bank estimates to have cost the country $8.5 billion.

Hasnain Malik, an analyst at financial research firm Tellimer said Aoun's victory was "the first necessary step on a very long road to recovery".

Malik said Aoun now needs to appoint a prime minister and assemble a cabinet that can retain the support of parliament, resuscitate long-delayed reforms and help Lebanon secure international financial support.

The 61-year old Aoun fell short of the required support in Thursday's first round of parliamentary voting and only succeeded in a second round, reportedly after a meeting with Hezbollah and Amal party MPs.

"That presents significant ongoing risk to any new PM and cabinet, which need to maintain the confidence of a majority of parliament," Malik said.