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.



World Leaders Descend on Azerbaijan’s Capital Baku for United Nations Climate Talks

 Leaders arrive for a group photo at the COP29 UN Climate Summit, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. (AP)
Leaders arrive for a group photo at the COP29 UN Climate Summit, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. (AP)
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World Leaders Descend on Azerbaijan’s Capital Baku for United Nations Climate Talks

 Leaders arrive for a group photo at the COP29 UN Climate Summit, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. (AP)
Leaders arrive for a group photo at the COP29 UN Climate Summit, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. (AP)

World leaders are converging Tuesday at the United Nations annual climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan although the big names and powerful countries are noticeably absent, unlike past climate talks which had the star power of a soccer World Cup.

But 2024's climate talks are more like the World Chess Federation finals, lacking the recognizable names but big on nerd power and strategy. The top leaders of the 13 largest carbon dioxide-polluting countries will not appear with their countries responsible for more than 70% of 2023's heat-trapping gases.

Biggest polluters and strongest economies China and the United States aren't sending their No. 1s. The four most populous nations with more than 42% of all the world's population aren't having leaders speak.

“It’s symptomatic of the lack of political will to act. There’s no sense of urgency,” said climate scientist Bill Hare, CEO of Climate Analytics. He said this explains “the absolute mess we’re finding ourselves in.”

On Tuesday, Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev, United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Türkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are the headliners of among the nearly 50 leaders set to speak.

But there'll be a strong showing expected from the leaders of some of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries. Several small island nations presidents and over a dozen leaders from countries across Africa are set to speak over the two-day World Leaders’ Summit at the COP29 conference.