Egypt, ACWA Power Sign $1.5 Bln Wind Energy Agreement

During the signing of the $1.5 billion wind energy agreement between Egypt and Saudi ACWA Power. (The Egyptian premiership)
During the signing of the $1.5 billion wind energy agreement between Egypt and Saudi ACWA Power. (The Egyptian premiership)
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Egypt, ACWA Power Sign $1.5 Bln Wind Energy Agreement

During the signing of the $1.5 billion wind energy agreement between Egypt and Saudi ACWA Power. (The Egyptian premiership)
During the signing of the $1.5 billion wind energy agreement between Egypt and Saudi ACWA Power. (The Egyptian premiership)

Egypt signed with a consortium led by ACWA Power an agreement for a 1.1-gigawatt wind energy production project in the Gulf of Suez and Gabal El-Zeit regions, with $1.5 billion in investments, the Egyptian cabinet stated Wednesday.

The agreement was signed between the Egyptian New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA) and ACWA Power-led consortium that also includes Hassan Allam Utilities.

The signing ceremony was held in the presence of Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohamed Shaker, Minister Plenipotentiary Abdulrahman bin Salem Al Dahas, Deputy Ambassador of Saudi Arabia in Cairo, Group Co-CEO of Hassan Allam Holding Amr Allam, and CIO of ACWA Power Thomas Brostrom.

The agreement was signed by Mohammed Al-Khayyat, the chair of NREA, Mohammed Hamdouche, ACWA’s vice president for business development, Hassan Amin, the director of ACWA Power Egypt, and Dalia Wahba, CEO of Hassan Allam Utilities.

Following the signing, Shaker outlined the upcoming steps of securing project financing and conducting thorough site studies.

He added that the venture is the largest wind energy project in the region and ranks among the top onshore initiatives of its kind globally. Each year it is expected to cut carbon emissions by 2.4 million tons, save about 840,000 tons of fuel, and supply power to a million homes in Egypt.

For his part, Brostrom said the project will incorporate 220-meter-tall wind turbines featuring cutting-edge technology, the tallest in the Suez Gulf region – to maximize power generation while optimizing land usage.



IMF Grants Egypt Initial Approval of $1.2 Bln Fourth Review

Santa Claus toys are displayed in a shop with Christmas decorations in Cairo, Egypt, December 23, 2024. (Reuters)
Santa Claus toys are displayed in a shop with Christmas decorations in Cairo, Egypt, December 23, 2024. (Reuters)
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IMF Grants Egypt Initial Approval of $1.2 Bln Fourth Review

Santa Claus toys are displayed in a shop with Christmas decorations in Cairo, Egypt, December 23, 2024. (Reuters)
Santa Claus toys are displayed in a shop with Christmas decorations in Cairo, Egypt, December 23, 2024. (Reuters)

The International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday it reached a staff-level agreement with Egypt on the fourth review under its Extended Fund Facility arrangement, potentially unlocking a $1.2 billion disbursement under the program.

Egypt, grappling with high inflation and shortages of foreign currency, agreed to the $8 billion, 46-month facility in March. A sharp decline in Suez Canal revenue caused by regional tensions over the last year compounded its economic woes.

The IMF said Egypt's government had agreed to increase its tax-to-revenue ratio by 2% of gross domestic product over the next two years, with a focus on eliminating exemptions rather than increasing taxes.

This would give it space to increase social spending to help vulnerable groups, the IMF said in a statement.

"While the authorities' plans to streamline and simplify the tax system are commendable, further reforms will be needed to enhance domestic revenue mobilization efforts," the statement said.

Egypt had agreed to make more decisive efforts to ensure the private sector became the main engine of growth and to sustain its commitment to a flexible exchange rate, the IMF statement added.

The staff-level agreement of the fourth review must still be approved by the IMF's executive board.