Egypt, EIB Boost Cooperation to Enhance Private Sector Engagement

Egypt is intensifying its moves to boost the activities of the private sector in the country (Reuters)
Egypt is intensifying its moves to boost the activities of the private sector in the country (Reuters)
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Egypt, EIB Boost Cooperation to Enhance Private Sector Engagement

Egypt is intensifying its moves to boost the activities of the private sector in the country (Reuters)
Egypt is intensifying its moves to boost the activities of the private sector in the country (Reuters)

Egyptian Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat said that the fruitful cooperation with the European Investment Bank (EIB) is reinforcing joint development efforts and therefore the private sector's growth.

EIB Vice President Gelsomina Vigliotti will be heading on a four-day visit to Egypt to strengthen cooperation with Egyptian public and private partners and discuss future EIB priority investments in many sectors.

This will be Vigliotti’s first high-level visit to Egypt as EIB VP for the Mashreq region since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over the last 41 years, the EIB has provided more than €14 billion for energy, water, agriculture, telecom, transport, and private sector investment in Egypt.

Last year, the EIB provided more than €1bn for business, telecom, and transport investment in Egypt.

“The EIB is a key partner for Egypt, and I welcome VP Vigliotti on her first official visit to our country,” said Al-Mashat.

“The EIB and the EU Bank is committed to supporting transformational private and public investment across Egypt, improving access to finance by entrepreneurs and addressing the challenges of a changing climate.

Egypt is the leading country of operation for the EIB outside of Europe. My financial and technical colleagues and I look forward to discussing how to strengthen economic resilience to existing and new challenges and enhancing the impact of future EIB engagement in Egypt,” said Vigliotti.

Mashat also met virtually with Sonja Gibbs, Managing Director and Head of Sustainable Finance for the Institute of International Finance, in the attendance of Wolfgang Engel, General Manager & Chief Representative - Institute of International Finance.

Mashat discussed suggestions for joint cooperation with the Institute, under the framework of Egypt presiding the COP27.



Aramco CEO Expects Demand Growth of 1.6-2 mln bpd in Second Half

A view shows el Feel oil field near Murzuq, Libya, July 6, 2017. (Reuters)
A view shows el Feel oil field near Murzuq, Libya, July 6, 2017. (Reuters)
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Aramco CEO Expects Demand Growth of 1.6-2 mln bpd in Second Half

A view shows el Feel oil field near Murzuq, Libya, July 6, 2017. (Reuters)
A view shows el Feel oil field near Murzuq, Libya, July 6, 2017. (Reuters)

Saudi Aramco Chief Executive Amin Nasser said on Tuesday he expected oil demand growth of between 1.6 and 2 million barrels per day (bpd) in the second half of this year, adding that fundamentals do not support the current drop in oil prices.

Nasser, who heads the world's most profitable oil company, said he expects global oil demand of 104.7 million bpd in 2024 and that some forecasts saw demand of more than 106 million bpd in the second half of the year.

Brent crude was trading at about $76.6 on Tuesday, its lowest since January. Traders said selling had been driven by expectations slower economic growth would reduce demand even as supply concerns mount because of tension in the Middle East.

"The market in my view is overreacting and the fundamentals do not support the drop in prices that we are witnessing today," Reuters quoted Nasser saying on an earnings call.

"The US is pointed (to) as a concern driving the current reaction that we are seeing in the market. Yet, the amount of finished gasoline supplies in the US, a proxy of demand, jumped to 9.4 million barrels a day in May, the highest since 2019."

He also said he expected demand in China to increase in the second half of the year to 17.5 million bpd.

"I would also add there seems to be continued upward revision of demand by various forecasters and agencies, which makes it difficult to make informed investment decisions as the revisions keep surprising to the upside," Nasser said.

Nasser also said he expected governments would replenish strategic crude inventories and that would further contribute to "healthy oil demand for the next few months". He did not specify which ones.