Egypt, IMF Hold New Discussions to Alleviate Citizens’ Financial Burdens

Sisi and IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. (Reuters file photo)
Sisi and IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. (Reuters file photo)
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Egypt, IMF Hold New Discussions to Alleviate Citizens’ Financial Burdens

Sisi and IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. (Reuters file photo)
Sisi and IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. (Reuters file photo)

Egypt and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have agreed to review their joint credit facilitation program to ensure that no additional burdens are placed on citizens.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly reiterated the government’s commitment to “maintaining a flexible exchange rate in coordination with the central bank to safeguard the progress achieved in this area.” He expressed hope that the meetings with the IMF delegation in the coming days would “conclude the fourth review of the economic reform program.”

Following a meeting on Sunday between President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva in Cairo, the Egyptian Presidency announced that Georgieva expressed her “full understanding of the significant challenges Egypt faces amid regional and global developments.”

In March, Egypt signed an $8 billion extended financial support package with the IMF, which requires reducing subsidies on fuel, electricity, and essential goods and allowing the Egyptian pound to float.

In late October, Sisi warned that his government might need to reassess its program with the IMF if international institutions do not account for the extraordinary regional challenges the country is facing. He cited a nearly 60% drop in Suez Canal revenue due to security tensions in the Red Sea as an example.

During the meeting with Georgieva, Sisi expressed Egypt’s commitment to continuing its cooperation with the IMF, building on progress to boost economic stability and reduce inflation. However, he stressed the need to acknowledge recent challenges Egypt has faced due to regional and international crises, which have impacted foreign currency reserves and budget revenues.

Sisi reiterated that the government’s primary focus is on alleviating pressures on citizens, particularly by controlling inflation and curbing rising prices, while also continuing efforts to attract investments and empower the private sector to drive employment and growth.

Georgieva, in turn, commended Egypt’s recent efforts and the reform program being “carefully implemented with a focus on the most vulnerable.” She highlighted the progress in macroeconomic indicators despite unprecedented current challenges, noting that this has been reflected in positive assessments from international credit rating agencies, improved credit ratings, and increased investments.

She expressed her “full understanding of the significant challenges Egypt faces amid regional and global developments” and emphasized the IMF’s commitment to working with the Egyptian government to identify optimal reform paths.



Saudi Arabia Makes History with Adoption of Riyadh Treaty on Design Law

Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Makes History with Adoption of Riyadh Treaty on Design Law

Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Photo of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia has made history by uniting the 193 member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to adopt the Riyadh Treaty on Design Law. This landmark achievement, realized after two decades of deliberation, underscores the Kingdom’s leadership in enhancing the global intellectual property system.

The announcement came at the conclusion of the Riyadh Diplomatic Conference on the Design Law Treaty, a rare event for WIPO, which has not held a diplomatic conference outside Geneva for more than a decade. It was also the first such event hosted in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, representing the final stage of negotiations to establish an agreement aimed at simplifying and standardizing design protection procedures across member states.

Over the past two weeks, intensive discussions and negotiations among member states culminated in the adoption of the Riyadh Treaty, which commits signatory nations to a unified set of requirements for registering designs, ensuring consistent and streamlined procedures worldwide. The agreement is expected to have a significant positive impact on designers, enabling them to protect their creations more effectively and uniformly across international markets.

At a press conference held on Friday to mark the event’s conclusion, CEO of the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property Abdulaziz Al-Suwailem highlighted the economic potential of the new protocol.

Responding to a question from Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Suwailem noted the substantial contributions of young Saudi men and women in creative design. He explained that the agreement will enable their designs to be formally protected, allowing them to enter markets as valuable, tradable assets.

He also emphasized the symbolic importance of naming the convention the Riyadh Treaty, stating that it reflects Saudi Arabia’s growing influence as a bridge between cultures and a global center for innovative initiatives.

The treaty lays critical legal foundations to support designers and drive innovation worldwide, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s vision of promoting international collaboration in the creative industries and underscoring its leadership in building a sustainable future for innovators.

The agreement also advances global efforts to enhance creativity, protect intellectual property, and stimulate innovation on a broader scale.

This achievement further strengthens Saudi Arabia’s position as a global hub for groundbreaking initiatives, demonstrating its commitment to nurturing creativity, safeguarding designers’ rights, and driving the development of creative industries on an international scale.

The Riyadh Diplomatic Conference, held from November 11 to 22, was hosted by the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property and attracted high-ranking officials and decision-makers from WIPO member states.