Saudi Arabia, Egypt Discuss Advancing Industrial and Mining Collaboration

Alkhorayef held on Monday meetings with Egyptians ministers in Cairo. SPA
Alkhorayef held on Monday meetings with Egyptians ministers in Cairo. SPA
TT

Saudi Arabia, Egypt Discuss Advancing Industrial and Mining Collaboration

Alkhorayef held on Monday meetings with Egyptians ministers in Cairo. SPA
Alkhorayef held on Monday meetings with Egyptians ministers in Cairo. SPA

Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef has held talks with Egyptian ministers in Cairo, discussing fostering industry and mining cooperation and attracting investments to strategic industrial opportunities in Saudi Arabia.

Alkhorayef held on Monday separate meetings with Egyptian Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport Kamel El-Wazir, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Hassan El-Khatib, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi, and Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) Governor Hassan Abdallah.

During his meeting with the Egyptian industry and transport minister, Alkhorayef emphasized the importance of strengthening collaboration between the two nations to activate agreed industrial integration paths. Alkhorayef highlighted the role of the Saudi Vision 2030 in leading economic transformation and stimulating growth across various sectors. He also underscored the launch of various strategies aimed at creating added value in industry, mining, and exports, alongside many initiatives to streamline the industrial investors’ journey.

In his meeting with the Egyptian investment and foreign trade minister, Alkhorayef explored means of enhancing cooperation with Egypt in investments. They also discussed fostering effective partnerships within the private sector of both countries to leverage available investment opportunities.

Alkhorayef, in his meeting with the Egyptian petroleum and mineral resources minister, underscored Saudi Arabia’s commitment to bolstering bilateral collaboration in the mining and mineral industries sector. He emphasized the Kingdom’s keenness on leveraging the economic strengths of both nations. Alkhorayef extended an invitation for the Egyptian minister to participate in the fourth Future Minerals Forum, to be held in Riyadh in January 2025.

Alkhorayef’s conversation with the CBE governor centered on exploring financing mechanisms and guarantees provided by financial institutions in both countries to enhance trade and offer solutions to investors.The meetings were attended by Industry and Mineral Resources Deputy Minister for Industry Affairs Khalil Ibn Salamah, Saudi EXIM Bank Chief Executive Saad Alkhalb, Saudi Exports Development Authority Chief Executive Abdulrahman Althukair, and Saudi Ambassador to Egypt Saleh Al-Husseini.



Sri Lanka's Bondholders Sign Off on $12.55 Bln Debt Overhaul

FILE PHOTO: A cargo ship sails towards Colombo Harbour as a Sri Lankan national flag is seen, amid the country's economic crisis in Colombo, Sri Lanka, July 23, 2022. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A cargo ship sails towards Colombo Harbour as a Sri Lankan national flag is seen, amid the country's economic crisis in Colombo, Sri Lanka, July 23, 2022. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi/File Photo
TT

Sri Lanka's Bondholders Sign Off on $12.55 Bln Debt Overhaul

FILE PHOTO: A cargo ship sails towards Colombo Harbour as a Sri Lankan national flag is seen, amid the country's economic crisis in Colombo, Sri Lanka, July 23, 2022. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A cargo ship sails towards Colombo Harbour as a Sri Lankan national flag is seen, amid the country's economic crisis in Colombo, Sri Lanka, July 23, 2022. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi/File Photo

Sri Lanka's bondholders signed off on the government's proposal to restructure its $12.55 billion of international bonds, a key step in finalizing the island nation's debt overhaul.

Final results showed holders representing 97.86% of the outstanding principal on the existing bonds voted in favor of the plan, which will swap Sri Lanka's defaulted bonds for a series of new fixed income instruments, the government said in a statement dated Dec. 16.

Sri Lanka defaulted on its foreign debt for the first time in May 2022 due to its high debt burden and dwindling foreign exchange reserves.

With the finalizing of the bond exchange, Sri Lanka will become the fourth country to conclude a restructuring of its bonds this year, following in the footsteps of Ghana, Ukraine and Zambia, Reuters reported.

The South Asian island nation's new instruments include a governance-linked bond, which offers a 75-basis-point reduction in the interest rate payable if Sri Lanka meets certain governance targets, and several bonds linked to economic performance.

A breakdown of the data showed investor support across all bar one of the bonds - the 2022 maturity - passed the threshold required that would see the whole bond swapped out in its entirety for the newly created instruments.

In the 2022 bond, which does not feature so-called aggregated collective action clauses, holders representing just 73.13% voted in support of the proposal.