Egypt GDP Growth Forecast at 4% in 2024/25 Fiscal Year, IMF Official Says

A worker counts money at a petrol station in Cairo on July 26, 2024. (AFP)
A worker counts money at a petrol station in Cairo on July 26, 2024. (AFP)
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Egypt GDP Growth Forecast at 4% in 2024/25 Fiscal Year, IMF Official Says

A worker counts money at a petrol station in Cairo on July 26, 2024. (AFP)
A worker counts money at a petrol station in Cairo on July 26, 2024. (AFP)

Egypt's economic growth is forecast at 4% in the 2024/25 fiscal year and inflation is expected to fall below 15%, the International Monetary Fund's mission chief for the country said on Tuesday.

In comments to reporters, Ivanna Vladkova Hollar added that talks between the IMF and the Egyptian government about access to climate transition financing from the Fund's Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) would continue in the autumn.

In March, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said the country would seek about $1.2 billion from the RSF.

Egypt can already draw $820 million from its latest 46-month IMF $8 billion loan program after the fund said on Monday it had completed its third review.

Approved in 2022 and expanded this year, the loan program followed an economic crisis marked by high inflation and severe foreign currency shortages.

Hollar said boosting tax revenue was a priority reform issue that would be discussed during the program's fourth review.

"Egypt needs tax resources to be able to spend on priority needs, that is a priority reform that we will be discussing at the time of the fourth review," she said.

Under the program, the outstanding reviews will take place every six months until autumn 2026, with each disbursement currently scheduled at about $1.3 billion, Hollar said in April.



Riyadh Hosts Saudi-Egyptian Industrial Forum

Officials are seen at the forum on Monday. (SPA)
Officials are seen at the forum on Monday. (SPA)
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Riyadh Hosts Saudi-Egyptian Industrial Forum

Officials are seen at the forum on Monday. (SPA)
Officials are seen at the forum on Monday. (SPA)

The Saudi-Egyptian Industrial Forum kicked off in Riyadh on Monday under the patronage of Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef. The forum aims to bolster strategic industrial cooperation and integration between the two countries.

Organized by the Federation of Saudi Chambers of Commerce in collaboration with the Federation of Egyptian Industries, the forum witnessed the participation of Deputy Minister for Industrial Affairs Eng. Khalil bin Salamah, Saudi Export Development Authority CEO Abdulrahman Althukair, and 300 prominent Saudi and Egyptian industry leaders and investors.

Bin Salamah underscored the significance of strengthening economic cooperation and industrial integration between Saudi Arabia and Egypt. He advocated for enhanced industrial partnerships within five priority sectors identified in the Kingdom's National Industrial Strategy: pharmaceuticals, automotive, building materials, textiles, and food industries.

He highlighted the evolving strategic integration between the two countries across initiatives like "Saudi Made,Future Factories," and "Made in Egypt," as well as in the broader goods and services sector. Bin Salamah urged Egyptian industrialists to capitalize on the industrial investment opportunities available in the Kingdom, citing its ambitious plans to establish 24,000 new factories over the next decade.

Federation of Saudi Chambers of Commerce Chairman Hassan Alhwaizy hailed the forum as a crucial milestone in Saudi-Egyptian industrial collaboration, emphasizing the strategic partnership underpinning their economic relations, particularly in the industrial sector.

Federation of Egyptian Industries Chairman Mohamed El-Sewedy stated that current global challenges are accelerating the need for industrial integration between the two countries, strengthening their partnership to tap into the African market's potential.

Saudi-Egyptian Business Council Chairman Bandar Al-Ameri highlighted the substantial growth in trade exchange between Saudi Arabia and Egypt in recent years, fueled by developing economic partnerships between their respective business communities. He emphasized that signing the agreement to protect and encourage mutual investments represents a strategic achievement serving their shared interests.