Egypt's Alexandria and Dekheila Ports Pause Activity Due to Weather

Egypt's Alexandria and Dekheila ports were closed on Wednesday due to poor weather conditions. (Reuters file photo)
Egypt's Alexandria and Dekheila ports were closed on Wednesday due to poor weather conditions. (Reuters file photo)
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Egypt's Alexandria and Dekheila Ports Pause Activity Due to Weather

Egypt's Alexandria and Dekheila ports were closed on Wednesday due to poor weather conditions. (Reuters file photo)
Egypt's Alexandria and Dekheila ports were closed on Wednesday due to poor weather conditions. (Reuters file photo)

Egypt's Alexandria and Dekheila ports, which both lie along the Mediterranean, were closed on Wednesday due to poor weather conditions, the Alexandria Port Authority said in a statement.

The ports are among the biggest in Egypt and each can handle a maximum of 1 million 20ft-equivalent units (TEUs).

High winds and a dust storm were blamed for the stranding on Tuesday morning of a 400-meter-long container ship that ran aground in Egypt's Suez Canal, blocking vessels from passing through.

Four Egyptian Red Sea ports had been shut on Tuesday, also due to weather conditions, and all except the Ain Sokhna port have now re-opened said the Red Sea Ports Authority and the Suez Canal Economic Zone Authority in separate statements.



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.