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Egypt Reduces Jet Fuel Prices to Boost Aviation, Tourism Sectors

A worker gesturing for cars to move as others fill up at a petrol station in Cairo, Egypt on June 29, 2017 [KHALED DESOUKI/Getty Images]
A worker gesturing for cars to move as others fill up at a petrol station in Cairo, Egypt on June 29, 2017 [KHALED DESOUKI/Getty Images]
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Egypt Reduces Jet Fuel Prices to Boost Aviation, Tourism Sectors

A worker gesturing for cars to move as others fill up at a petrol station in Cairo, Egypt on June 29, 2017 [KHALED DESOUKI/Getty Images]
A worker gesturing for cars to move as others fill up at a petrol station in Cairo, Egypt on June 29, 2017 [KHALED DESOUKI/Getty Images]

Egypt will reduce jet fuel prices by 15 cents per gallon from January 21 until the end of 2021 to support the tourism and aviation sectors amid challenges posed by COVID-19 pandemic.

The decision came during the fourth meeting between Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek El Molla, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Khaled Al-Anani, and Minister of Civil Aviation Mohamed Manar to discuss ways to boost the affected sectors.

For his part, Anani hailed the initiative, saying it will boost tourism in Egypt by motivating international companies to increase their flights.

Also, Manar praised the petroleum sector’s effort and support in providing fuel to all Egypt’s airports.

In a related context, Egypt and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) signed a finance cooperation program for 2021, providing the country with integrated financing solutions worth $1.1 billion.

The funds come as part of the $3 billion agreement concluded between the Ministry of International Cooperation and the ITFC in 2018.

The signing ceremony was attended by Minister of Planning and Economic Development and Egypt’s Governor at the Islamic Development Bank Group Hala El-Said, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek El Molla, Minister of Supply and Internal Trade Aly Meselhi, Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat, and Minister of Trade and Industry Nevine Gamea.

The program was signed by ITFC CEO Hani Salem Sonbol, Executive Vice President of the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation (EGPC) Ashraf Abdullah, and Vice-Chairperson of the General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC) Ahmed Youssef.

According to Molla, the five agreements have a total value of $9.2 billion, including the fifth framework agreement signed at the end of January 2018 at a value of $3 billion. For the financing of basic commodities, 16 financing operations amounting to $2.225 billion were approved within the agreement’s framework.

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Türkiye's Central Bank Raises Inflation Forecasts, Vows Tight Policy

FILED - 24 May 2018, Türkiye, Istanbul: Turkish lira are kept fanned out. Photo: Can Merey/dpa
FILED - 24 May 2018, Türkiye, Istanbul: Turkish lira are kept fanned out. Photo: Can Merey/dpa
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Türkiye's Central Bank Raises Inflation Forecasts, Vows Tight Policy

FILED - 24 May 2018, Türkiye, Istanbul: Turkish lira are kept fanned out. Photo: Can Merey/dpa
FILED - 24 May 2018, Türkiye, Istanbul: Turkish lira are kept fanned out. Photo: Can Merey/dpa

Türkiye's central bank raised its year-end inflation forecasts for this year and next to 44% and 21% respectively on Friday, and Governor Fatih Karahan vowed to keep policy tight to propel the disinflation process and hit targets.

The bank's previous inflation report three months ago forecast year-end inflation of 38% in 2024 and 14% next year, Reuters reported. The revision underlines its tougher-than-expected battle against inflation that began with aggressive rate hikes 18 months ago.
Presenting a quarterly update in Ankara, Karahan cited improvement in core inflation trends even as service-related price readings are proceeding slower than anticipated. But even in that sector, inflation is gradually losing momentum, he said.
"We will decisively maintain our tight monetary policy stance until price stability is achieved," he said. "As the stickiness in services inflation weakens, the underlying trend of inflation will decline further in 2025."
October inflation remained loftier than expected, dipping only to 48.58% annually on the back of tight policy and so-called base effects, down from a peak above 75% in May.
Monthly inflation - a gauge closely monitored by the bank for signs of when to begin rate cuts - rose by 2.88% in the same period on the back of clothing and food prices.
The bank has hiked rates by 4,150 basis points between June 2023 and March 2024, to 50%, as part of an abrupt shift to orthodox policy after years of low rates aimed at stoking growth.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who in past years was viewed as influencing monetary policy, had supported the previous unorthodoxy. It triggered a series of currency crashes and sent inflation soaring.

Erdogan was quoted on Friday as telling reporters that "no one should doubt" the steady decline in inflation and that economic steps would continue with discipline and determination to ease price pressures.

The central bank warned last month that a bump in recent inflation readings increased uncertainty, prompting analysts to delay expectations for the first rate cut to December or January.

Karahan said the new inflation forecasts were based on maintaining tight policy, adding the bank would do "whatever is necessary" to wrestle inflation down, and pointing to what he called a significant fall in the annual rate since May.

He said the slowdown in domestic demand continues at a moderate pace and the output gap has continued to decline in the third quarter.