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.



Gulf Markets Rebound with Federal Reserve Allaying Investor Fears

The Tadawul All Share Index (TASI) rose 2.1 percent. (Reuters)
The Tadawul All Share Index (TASI) rose 2.1 percent. (Reuters)
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Gulf Markets Rebound with Federal Reserve Allaying Investor Fears

The Tadawul All Share Index (TASI) rose 2.1 percent. (Reuters)
The Tadawul All Share Index (TASI) rose 2.1 percent. (Reuters)

Most Gulf stock markets advanced on Tuesday after Federal Reserve officials made comments easing investor jitters, following a global sell-off on fears of a possible recession in the United States.

San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank President Mary Daly said on Monday that it was too early to determine whether the July jobs report indicated a real slowdown or weakness, but emphasized that it was “critically important” for the central bank to prevent the labor market from sliding into recession.

Market expectations remain intact that the Fed will cut interest rate by 50 basis points at its September meeting, as futures indicate a 71 percent chance of this major adjustment.

The market anticipates approximately 100 basis points of easing this year, with a similar expectation for 2025.

Monetary policy in the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council is usually guided by Federal Reserve decisions, with most regional currencies linked to the dollar. The standard Saudi stock market index (TASI) rose by 2.1 percent, with the shares of the aluminum products manufacturing company Al-Tayseer Group rising by 7.1 percent.

Saudi Aramco rose by 2.4 percent, after it announced a net profit in the second quarter amounting to SAR109.01 billion ($29.04 billion), exceeding the company’s average estimate of $27.7 billion.

Dubai’s main market index jumped 2.4 percent, recovering some of its losses from Monday when it fell more than 4 percent. The shares of the leading real estate development company, Emaar Properties, advanced 4.9 percent. In Abu Dhabi, the index rose by 1.4 percent.

The Qatari benchmark index fell by 0.5 percent, with the largest bank in the Gulf, Qatar National Bank, losing 1.4 percent.