Egypt Sets Customs Exchange Rate of 19.32 Pounds/US Dollar

Annual inflation in Egypt is at its highest level in nearly four years (AFP)
Annual inflation in Egypt is at its highest level in nearly four years (AFP)
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Egypt Sets Customs Exchange Rate of 19.32 Pounds/US Dollar

Annual inflation in Egypt is at its highest level in nearly four years (AFP)
Annual inflation in Egypt is at its highest level in nearly four years (AFP)

Egypt has set a customs exchange rate of 19.318 Egyptian pounds to the US dollar from Sept., a change from 18.64 pounds in June, state newspaper Akhbar al-Youm reported on Thursday citing the customs authority.

Egypt devalued its pound by 14 percent in March after foreign investors pulled billions of dollars out of Egyptian treasury markets, putting pressure on the currency, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Since then, Egypt’s Suez Canal announced revenues of $744.8 million in August and the Egyptian Exchange (EGX) witnessed a weekly increase of 3.3 percent.

In March, the IMF announced that Egypt had requested a new financial support program, but in July said the country needed to make “decisive progress” on fiscal and structural reform.

The benchmark ended weekly trading at 10265.35 points, compared to 9936.87 points last week. Its gains ranged between 0.3 percent and 1.8 percent in four sessions during the week’s five sessions. Losses amounted to 0.9 percent.

The EGX ended Thursday’s session at a 0.32 percent increase.

In August, Egypt recorded the highest level of inflation in Egypt’s cities since November 2018, when the figures reached 15.7 percent.

Consumer prices climbed 14.6 percent from a year earlier in August, versus 13.6 percent the previous month, the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics said Thursday.

The annual inflation rate in the North African country rose to 15.3 percent.

The central bank has an inflation target rate of 5 percent to 9 percent but said in June that it would tolerate a higher level during the coming months.



Dubai Forum Highlights 7 Key Developments the World Will Witness in the Future

Participants attend the opening session of the Dubai Future Forum. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Participants attend the opening session of the Dubai Future Forum. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Dubai Forum Highlights 7 Key Developments the World Will Witness in the Future

Participants attend the opening session of the Dubai Future Forum. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Participants attend the opening session of the Dubai Future Forum. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Participants at the Dubai Future Forum 2024 identified seven transformative developments that will reshape humanity’s future: the shift in evaluating growth, the dominance of solar energy, a return to the moon, the creation of a genomic bank, brain-computer implants for healthy individuals, the rise of alternative education, and AI’s integration into corporate boardrooms.

Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of the Dubai Future Foundation, emphasized the need to plan for the future and seize emerging opportunities.

In his keynote, he called for leveraging innovation, policy, and technology to enhance quality of life and foster global collaboration, reflecting the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Belhoul questioned the continued reliance on GDP as a measure of national progress, noting its inability to account for well-being and environmental impact. He welcomed the UN’s ongoing revision of its framework to incorporate these dimensions, signaling a major shift in evaluating growth.

On renewable energy, Belhoul pointed to solar power’s vast potential, stressing that global solar capacity, which stood at 220 gigawatts in 2022, is expected to double by 2025. In this context, he underlined the importance of natural resources in advancing sustainability and energy security.

Humanity is also set to return to the moon, with NASA planning a lunar mission after a 50-year hiatus. Belhoul expressed optimism about the new knowledge this mission could yield given recent technological advancements.

Moreover, the establishment of a genomic bank with over one million samples is expected next year, paving the way for personalized healthcare and disease prevention. While he hailed this as a scientific milestone, Belhoul urged caution over its ethical aspects.

In education, he stressed that a shift toward personalized learning is evident, with five million students projected to study outside traditional schools by next year. This reflects the growing role of technology in tailoring education to individual needs, he said.

Belhoul also discussed brain-computer implants, predicting that the first implant in a healthy person could happen within a year, raising profound questions about humanity’s relationship with technology. Additionally, he foresaw the appointment of the first AI-powered board member at a Fortune 500 company, sparking debates about AI’s role in leadership.

Belhoul urged policymakers and innovators to address these trends responsibly to ensure that technological advances align with human values and boost global well-being.