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Egyptian Government Provides Masks With Ration Cards

A man wearing a protective face mask covers his head during a hot weather in Cairo, Egypt (Reuters)
A man wearing a protective face mask covers his head during a hot weather in Cairo, Egypt (Reuters)
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Egyptian Government Provides Masks With Ration Cards

A man wearing a protective face mask covers his head during a hot weather in Cairo, Egypt (Reuters)
A man wearing a protective face mask covers his head during a hot weather in Cairo, Egypt (Reuters)

The Egyptian government will begin supplying about 64 million citizens with protective masks to help limit the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, according to an official statement.

Supply Minister Ali Mosseilhi said the masks will be offered at two per ration card, adding that 250,000 masks will be offered on 1 July and that this number will reach 19 million masks by the end of the month.

Mosseilhi explained that the set price of the masks was determined after careful consideration of several offers. The government negotiated with the supplier and they agreed on providing masks at the price of EGP8.5 for the end consumer.

However, the Egyptian minister indicated that other types of face masks will be supplied at a price range between EGP6 and EGP10, while ensuring quality is maintained.

He stressed that all masks meet the technical specifications as approved by the Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality, which falls under the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

Meanwhile, Minister of Local Development, Major General Mahmoud Shaarawy met with Minister of Health Hala Zayed and the two discussed a plan to boost the efficiency of local health facilities.

Shaarawy announced that the ministry has compiled a list of needed medical devices and supplies for the health facilities to help them combat the pandemic.

He confirmed that the Upper Egypt Local Development Program (UELDP) has received $500 million in funding from the World Bank and a $457 million contribution from the Egyptian government.

He detailed that EGP120 million will be provided to support health facilities in Sohag and Qena, which will be used to help both governorates combat the coronavirus pandemic.

Zayed announced, in turn, that a technical committee has been formed to manage donations received by the Ministry of Health. She explained that this committee will determine expenses based on actual needs and will provide the best medical service for all patients.

She pointed out that the ministry provided hospitals that treat suspected coronavirus cases with 31 new CT scans and 700 artificial respirators.

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Cohen Meeting Escalates Protests in Western Libya Against Unity Government

Pro-Dbeibah government forces intervening to disperse protesters in central Tripoli (AFP)
Pro-Dbeibah government forces intervening to disperse protesters in central Tripoli (AFP)
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Cohen Meeting Escalates Protests in Western Libya Against Unity Government

Pro-Dbeibah government forces intervening to disperse protesters in central Tripoli (AFP)
Pro-Dbeibah government forces intervening to disperse protesters in central Tripoli (AFP)

Protests have intensified in western Libya against the interim Government of National Unity, led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, following the revelation of a meeting between former Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush and then-Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen in Rome last year.

In response to the demonstrations, Dbeibah accused foreign nations of being “involved in conspiracies to divide the country” and alleged that domestic factions were “fueling the protests” that erupted in multiple cities across western Libya against his government.

While Dbeibah refrained from naming these local factions during a speech delivered on Friday at the conclusion of the Entrepreneurs Forum and General Gathering of Youth Hostel Members in Misrata, he accused them of “manipulating young people to create discord and drag Libya backward.” He stressed that these groups “only seek war, destruction, and corruption.”

Speaking of “real conspiracies to divide Libya,” Dbeibah pledged that the country would remain unified. He addressed the youth, saying: “You are the future. We need you to step forward and defend your nation. We will not accept a return to the logic of force after the February 17 Revolution, and we will not allow it.”

In eastern Libya, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, leader of the Libyan National Army, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Aguila Saleh, refrained from commenting on Dbeibah’s statements.

Saleh, however, emphasized that the solution to Libya’s political gridlock lies in holding “free and fair elections, with all sides committed to respecting the results.”

He pointed out that the House of Representatives had enacted electoral laws to facilitate this process and called for the formation of a unified government to steer Libya toward stability.

In remarks broadcast by his media office on Friday, Saleh asserted that he had “taken no actions aimed at excluding or marginalizing any party.” He pointed to the importance of national reconciliation for achieving peace and security and denied aligning with any external or international forces.

Saleh further urged support for the National Reconciliation Law as a vital step toward resolving disputes, stressing “the significance of the peaceful transfer of power.”

On Friday evening, protests erupted in Misrata, Dbeibah’s hometown, coinciding with his visit. Demonstrators expressed their rejection of what they perceived as normalization efforts with Israel and demanded Dbeibah’s resignation. In a statement, some Misrata residents condemned the meetings between his government and Israeli officials as a “grave betrayal.”