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Egypt to Double Local Production of Coronavirus Vaccines

A nurse prepares a dose of the coronavirus vaccine at a vaccination center at Cairo University (EPA)
A nurse prepares a dose of the coronavirus vaccine at a vaccination center at Cairo University (EPA)
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Egypt to Double Local Production of Coronavirus Vaccines

A nurse prepares a dose of the coronavirus vaccine at a vaccination center at Cairo University (EPA)
A nurse prepares a dose of the coronavirus vaccine at a vaccination center at Cairo University (EPA)

Egypt’s Health Minister Hala Zayed announced that the country will double its daily production capacity of COVID-19 vaccines to 1 million doses in the coming 5-6 weeks.

She noted that although the vaccines might fail to provide 100 percent immunity against the virus, they can still protect against severe complications.

The number of vaccination centers nationwide has reached 850, the minister said in remarks on Friday.

Zayed added that Egypt is among a few countries that have all the types of COVID-19 vaccines available in the global market. In a few days, Egypt will receive Pfizer and Moderna doses in huge quantities.

“More than 2.5 million citizens have registered their names on the vaccination platform but didn’t attend,” she noted.

Responding to complaints regarding the delay in sending text messages to people to get inoculated, Zayed said that the priority was at first given to the elderly and patients suffering from critical diseases in addition to specific staff sectors.

The minister noted that this month witnessed the highest registration in which 16 million citizens registered on the vaccination platform.

The Health and Population Ministry said Friday night that 568 new coronavirus cases were detected, raising the total number of confirmed cases since the outbreak in the country to 300,278.

In a statement, the ministry said 36 patients have died from the virus over the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to 17,110.

“Vaccination will begin for secondary school students between the ages of 15-18 within the next two months,” Zayed added.

She assured that the country wouldn’t give the citizens vaccines that haven't been proven effective and secure.

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Moscow Open to Dialogue with Trump on Syria

The Russian Foreign Minister during a meeting last week in the Kazakh capital, Astana (Reuters)
The Russian Foreign Minister during a meeting last week in the Kazakh capital, Astana (Reuters)
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Moscow Open to Dialogue with Trump on Syria

The Russian Foreign Minister during a meeting last week in the Kazakh capital, Astana (Reuters)
The Russian Foreign Minister during a meeting last week in the Kazakh capital, Astana (Reuters)

Russia, Iran, and Türkiye have called for an end to Israel’s military escalation in the Middle East, expressing concern over the worsening regional situation and warning of negative impacts on Syria.
At the conclusion of the 22nd round of Syria talks in Astana, Kazakhstan, the three countries reaffirmed their commitment to a political solution, focused on restarting the work of the Constitutional Committee.
The escalation in the region, combined with the uncertainty following US President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, was a major topic of discussion in Astana, both during bilateral talks and in broader sessions.
The Russian delegation was led by Alexander Lavrentiev, Special Representative for Syria, while Iran’s delegation was headed by Ali Asghar Haji, Senior Political Advisor to the Foreign Minister. Türkiye’s delegation was led by Ambassador Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul, Director-General for Syrian Affairs at the Foreign Ministry.
The Syrian government delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Ayman Riad, and the opposition delegation, led by Ahmad Tohme, were also present.
Representatives from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), along with observers from Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq, attended the talks.
UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen was also present.
Sources at the meetings told Asharq Al-Awsat that much of the discussion focused on the impact of ongoing Israeli airstrikes in Gaza and Lebanon and their effects on Syria, particularly amid Israel’s efforts to expand the conflict.
There was a strong emphasis on preventing Syria from becoming further embroiled in the growing conflict. Additionally, the impact of Trump’s election on US policy towards the region and Syria was widely discussed, with increasing speculation that Trump might follow through on promises to withdraw US troops from Syria.
This issue was highlighted by Russia’s envoy, Lavrentiev, at the close of the talks.
Lavrentiev stated that Russia is open to talks with the new US administration once it is in place to discuss issues related to Syria.
“If there are proposals, Russia is open and ready to continue communication with the US,” he added.
According to Lavrentiev, “Some compromises can only be reached through negotiations.”
A source from the Syrian opposition, speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, said there is a shared view that a US withdrawal from Syria is “not inevitable, even if Trump has mentioned it.”
The source noted that Trump has become more pragmatic and responsive to the "deep state," with a better understanding of foreign policy.
The source also pointed out that Türkiye shares this view. While Ankara wants the US to leave, it does not want a unilateral withdrawal without coordination, especially since the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are open to talks with both the Syrian government and Russia.

The discussions also highlighted that, despite Israel's efforts to reduce Iranian influence in the region, it is unlikely that Trump will push for a withdrawal under the current situation.