Egypt’s Sovereign Wealth Fund CEO Resigns

A farmer carries a box of mangoes in Ismailia, Egypt (Reuters)
A farmer carries a box of mangoes in Ismailia, Egypt (Reuters)
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Egypt’s Sovereign Wealth Fund CEO Resigns

A farmer carries a box of mangoes in Ismailia, Egypt (Reuters)
A farmer carries a box of mangoes in Ismailia, Egypt (Reuters)

The head of the Sovereign Fund of Egypt (TSFE), Ayman Soliman, has resigned, informed Egyptian sources revealed on Thursday.
They said Soliman resigned last June, around the time of the July ministerial shuffle, with his final working day set for the end of August.
A bill was already sent to the Egyptian House of Representatives to discuss transferring the Fund’s affiliation to the Prime Minister's Office.
In February 2019, Egypt formed the sovereign wealth fund to take control of some of the government's most promising assets in industries such as power and real estate, to bring in private investors to develop them.
Soliman was appointed as head of the fund in 2019 for an initial three-year term that was subsequently extended.
His resignation had been anticipated, with one government source saying the country's political leadership wanted to introduce fresh faces into key positions as part of a broader reshuffle, according to Reuters.
As of July, the Fund oversees approximately $12 billion in assets. It has attained the 48th position in the top 100 largest sovereign funds by total assets.
TSFE currently runs and operates five sub-funds: Infrastructure and Utilities Sub-Fund, Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals Sub-Fund, Tourism, Real Estate and Antiquities Sub-Fund, Financial Services and Fintech Sub-Fund, and Asset Management and Restructuring Sub-Fund.

Separately, the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) announced on Thursday that Egypt’s unemployment rate fell to 6.5% in the second quarter (Q2) of 2024, nearly a 0.2% decrease compared to Q1.
In May, government data showed that during Q1 of 2024, the labor force was estimated to consist of 31.397 million individuals, reflecting a 1.0% increase from the previous quarter's 31.101 million individuals. Of this total, 13.758 million individuals were part of the urban labor force, while 17.639 million individuals were part of the rural labor force.

 



Saudi Arabia’s Digital Experience Maturity Index Rise to 85%

The Saudi capital, Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi capital, Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia’s Digital Experience Maturity Index Rise to 85%

The Saudi capital, Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Saudi capital, Riyadh (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Digital Government Authority (DGA) announced the results of the Digital Experience Maturity Index 2024, where the index achieved a rate of (85.04%) at an “advanced” level. The Index included the evaluation of 39 digital platforms according to four main perspectives, which include 20 themes.
The perspectives included measuring beneficiary satisfaction by involving over 175,000 beneficiaries in assessing their digital experience. This also encompassed evaluating user experience, the mechanisms for handling complaints on digital platforms, and the technologies and tools that support these platforms.
Eng. Ahmed Alsuwaiyan, the Governor of the Digital Government Authority, explained that the Digital Experience Maturity Index aims to enhance beneficiary satisfaction, improve digital experiences, and strengthen engagement in alignment with international standards and best practices. The index also meets the strategic directions of the digital government, by supporting the achievement of its goals, improving the Kingdom’s standing in global indicators, and accelerating the pace of digital transformation.
He emphasized that the continuous rise in the index results reflects the significant efforts of government agencies in developing their digital platforms and services. Their ongoing contributions are instrumental in improving the quality of life, facilitating business operations, enhancing competitiveness, and increasing the efficiency of government functions, he stated.

The index increased by 4.36 percent compared to the previous cycle, and 39 platforms were included in the current year, compared to 24 platforms in 2023. More than 175,000 respondents participated in evaluating the platforms for this cycle, exceeding the number of participants in the previous cycle, which reached 134,000.