Abu Dhabi’s ADQ Buys Stakes Worth $1.85b in Egyptian Firms

Egyptian Stock Exchange (Reuters)
Egyptian Stock Exchange (Reuters)
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Abu Dhabi’s ADQ Buys Stakes Worth $1.85b in Egyptian Firms

Egyptian Stock Exchange (Reuters)
Egyptian Stock Exchange (Reuters)

Abu Dhabi's state holding company ADQ has bought shares worth $1.85 billion in five publicly traded Egyptian companies. The stock exchange said purchases for five companies were executed on Tuesday but did not say who the buyer was.

The deals included the purchase of 340.1 million shares of Commercial International Bank (CIB), Egypt's biggest private bank, for $911.5 million, and 45.8 million shares of Misr Fertilisers Production (Mopco) for $266.6 million.

They also included Abu Qir Fertilisers and Chemical Industries, which sold 271.6 million shares for $391.9 million, Fawry sold 215 million shares of electronic payments technology for $68.6 million, and Alexandria Container and Cargo Handling sold 476.7 million shares for $159.1 million.

Last December, ADQ established a new office in Egypt to build on its commitment to increase its investment in the country.

The opening of ADQ's new office complements the $20 billion strategic investment platform launched in 2019 between ADQ and the Sovereign Fund of Egypt.

The platform aims to help advance Egypt's economic development through joint strategic investment projects, specialized funds, and investment tools in vital sectors such as healthcare and pharma, utilities, food and agriculture, real estate, and financial services.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly met with EGX Chairman Mohamed Farid Saleh to review the proposed action plan to achieve digitization and benefit all citizens from investing in the stock market.

The action plan contributes to attracting foreign investments and providing the necessary funding to achieve the sustainable development goals in Egypt's Vision 2030.

The Prime Minister stressed that this meeting comes within the framework of the government's keenness to permanently coordinate with the EGX, adopt and support ambitious plans to achieve financial and investment inclusion.

They also addressed facilitating services through digital transformation to increase the Egyptian market's ability to attract investments.

Saleh presented several indicators related to EGX work during the recent period, which included developing the value of the offerings due to the resumption of the government offering program.

It will also increase the number of investors in the market following efforts to boost the investment environment and promote the stock exchange to serve the listed companies and the Egyptian economy.



Washington Urges Israel to Extend Cooperation with Palestinian Banks

A West Bank Jewish settlement is seen in the background, while a protestor waves a Palestinian flag during a protest against Israel's separation barrier in the West Bank village of Bilin in 2012. (AP)
A West Bank Jewish settlement is seen in the background, while a protestor waves a Palestinian flag during a protest against Israel's separation barrier in the West Bank village of Bilin in 2012. (AP)
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Washington Urges Israel to Extend Cooperation with Palestinian Banks

A West Bank Jewish settlement is seen in the background, while a protestor waves a Palestinian flag during a protest against Israel's separation barrier in the West Bank village of Bilin in 2012. (AP)
A West Bank Jewish settlement is seen in the background, while a protestor waves a Palestinian flag during a protest against Israel's separation barrier in the West Bank village of Bilin in 2012. (AP)

The United States on Thursday called on Israel to extend its cooperation with Palestinian banks for another year, to avoid blocking vital transactions in the occupied West Bank.

"I am glad that Israel has allowed its banks to continue cooperating with Palestinian banks, but I remain convinced that a one-year extension of the waiver to facilitate this cooperation is needed," US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Thursday, on the sidelines of a meeting of G20 finance ministers in Rio de Janeiro.

In May, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich threatened to cut off a vital banking channel between Israel and the West Bank in response to three European countries recognizing the State of Palestine.

On June 30, however, Smotrich extended a waiver that allows cooperation between Israel's banking system and Palestinian banks in the occupied West Bank for four months, according to Israeli media, according to AFP.

The Times of Israel newspaper reported that the decision on the waiver was made at a cabinet meeting in a "move that saw Israel legalize several West Bank settlement outposts."

The waiver was due to expire at the end of June, and the extension permitted Israeli banks to process payments for salaries and services to the Palestinian Authority in shekels, averting a blow to a Palestinian economy already devastated by the war in Gaza.

The Israeli threat raised serious concerns in the United States, which said at the time it feared "a humanitarian crisis" if banking ties were cut.

According to Washington, these banking channels are key to nearly $8 billion of imports from Israel to the West Bank, including electricity, water, fuel and food.