Egypt Inks Deal to Further Accelerate Supply of Green Fuels

A general view of Cairo, Egypt. (AFP)
A general view of Cairo, Egypt. (AFP)
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Egypt Inks Deal to Further Accelerate Supply of Green Fuels

A general view of Cairo, Egypt. (AFP)
A general view of Cairo, Egypt. (AFP)

Egypt signed on Monday a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Maersk in a joint bid to further accelerate the supply of green fuels for ships as part of the shipping industry’s transition to net-zero.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly witnessed the signing of the deal with the General Authority for Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone), the Egyptian New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA), the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC), the Sovereign Fund of Egypt for Investment and Development (TSFE), and Maersk.

The agreement will see the establishment of a project to produce green fuels for ship bunkering supplies and to achieve zero carbon emissions.

The signing was attended by Egypt's Electricity Minister Mohamed Shaker and Morten Bo Christiansen, Head of Decarbonization at Maersk.

The MoU is in line with the government's commitment to green projects, especially since Egypt will host the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 27) to the UNFCCC .

Madbouly stressed that Egypt, under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, continues to strive to expand in the field of clean energy and its uses.

This is evident through providing the necessary support in this field, while placing green fuel projects on its list of priorities, and pushing for the implementation of these projects as pillars of the state’s strategy towards the localization of the green fuel industry.

“Capitalizing on Egypt’s fundamentals and vision, SCZone’s strategic integrated areas of ports and industrial parks around the Suez Canal and leveraging on the solid and enduring longstanding relationship we have with Maersk, I am looking forward to the evolvement of this project, which meets our mutual target of transforming into the green economy,” said Eng. Yahia Zaki, Chairman of the SCZone.



Saudi PIF Invests $200 Million in ETF Bond Fund

The fund is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia to focus on fixed-income exchange-traded funds (ETFs). (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The fund is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia to focus on fixed-income exchange-traded funds (ETFs). (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi PIF Invests $200 Million in ETF Bond Fund

The fund is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia to focus on fixed-income exchange-traded funds (ETFs). (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The fund is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia to focus on fixed-income exchange-traded funds (ETFs). (Asharq Al-Awsat)

State Street Global Advisors, a subsidiary of State Street Corporation, announced that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has invested SAR 750 million ($200 million) in the newly launched SPDR J.P. Morgan Saudi Aggregate Bond ETF.

According to a statement released by the company on Wednesday, this fund is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia to focus on fixed-income exchange-traded funds (ETFs). It is listed in both the London Stock Exchange and Germany’s Xetra, offering investors the opportunity to track government and quasi-government bonds denominated in either the Saudi Riyal or the US Dollar, including sukuk (Islamic bonds).

This investment aligns with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, representing a significant step toward enhancing the international presence of Saudi Arabia’s financial markets and attracting foreign investments. The fund is available to investors across several European countries, including Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, and Italy.

Commenting on the investment, Yazid Al-Humaid, Deputy Governor and Head of MENA Investments at PIF, said: “The fund continues to create opportunities and enable access to diverse capital markets in the Kingdom. Investing in the first internationally listed Saudi fixed-income ETF underscores PIF’s commitment to deepening Saudi capital markets, attracting investors, and fostering partnerships across global financial centers.”

CEO of State Street Global Advisors Yi-Hsin Hung emphasized that the launch of the fund is a significant milestone in providing innovative opportunities for investors while contributing to Saudi Arabia’s economic growth.