Egypt Underlines Growth in Activities, Economic Returns of Public Sector Oil Companies

Egypt’s Petroleum Minister Tarek el-Molla attends meetings of the general assemblies of public sector oil companies. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Egypt’s Petroleum Minister Tarek el-Molla attends meetings of the general assemblies of public sector oil companies. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Egypt Underlines Growth in Activities, Economic Returns of Public Sector Oil Companies

Egypt’s Petroleum Minister Tarek el-Molla attends meetings of the general assemblies of public sector oil companies. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Egypt’s Petroleum Minister Tarek el-Molla attends meetings of the general assemblies of public sector oil companies. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Egypt's Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek el-Molla chaired on Sunday the meetings of the general assemblies of public sector oil companies, via video conference, to discuss and approve the results of FY 2021/22.

He affirmed that the public sector oil companies have developed remarkably in recent years, citing the modernization in their facilities and growth in their activities, economic returns and capital.

Molla further underlined these companies’ success in achieving outstanding results during the last fiscal year, despite the circumstances and challenges the world is going through and their repercussions.

“The economic reform policies and rationalization of subsidies have helped the public sector oil entities meet their requirements, develop their performance and increase the added value thereof for the benefit of the Egyptian economy,” Molla explained.

The Minister highlighted the continued development of the butane system in Egypt to keep pace with the comprehensive development in the petroleum sector and the work of raising efficiency, digitization, governance and enhancing safety.

He noted that the average consumption of butane has dropped from 4.2 million tons to 3.6 million tons annually despite the population increase.

Egypt wants to generate $8.5-10 billion in natural gas revenues in FY 2022/23, up from $6.5 billion in 2021, Molla told Al-Arabiya Channel on Sunday.

For his part, Chemist Majid al-Kurdi, head of Assiut Petroleum Refining Company, reviewed the most important results of the company’s work during the fiscal year 2021/22.

He said the company refined about 3.4 million tons of crude to supply petroleum products to the local market at a value of EGP47 billion.

Kurdi pointed out that the volume of investments that were pumped amounted to about 1.3 billion pounds to implement replacement and renewal programs and projects, enhance the requirements of occupational safety and health, protect the environment, and start implementing new production units.

Meanwhile, Eng Ayman Abdel Badie, President of the Petroleum Pipelines Company, reviewed the most important projects implemented to develop the national network for transporting crude and petroleum products through pipelines.

He highlighted the unprecedented investments amounting to about EGP3.3 billion to implement replacement and renewal projects, raise efficiency of the pipelines, industrial security and environmental protection.

Abdel Badie stressed that the Damietta-Tanta gas pipeline is considered one of the most important projects within the ministry’s strategy to transform Egypt into a regional hub for the trade and circulation of petroleum products.

President of Petrogas Company Nabawi Mahmoud, for his part, reviewed the most important results of the work.

He said that about 3.6 million tons of butane gas were supplied to the local market during the fiscal year 2021/22, down 1.6%.

Mahmoud said 309 million cylinders of butane were filled in 49 factories and distributed through 3093 distribution centers, while 3.9 million cylinders were rehabilitated for consumers.



China Mulls Draft Law to Promote Private Sector Development

A Chinese national flag flutters on a financial street in Beijing. (Reuters)
A Chinese national flag flutters on a financial street in Beijing. (Reuters)
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China Mulls Draft Law to Promote Private Sector Development

A Chinese national flag flutters on a financial street in Beijing. (Reuters)
A Chinese national flag flutters on a financial street in Beijing. (Reuters)

Chinese lawmakers are deliberating a draft of the country's first basic law specifically focused on the development of the private sector, the country’s Xinhua news agency reported.

“The law will be conducive to creating a law-based environment that is favorable to the growth of all economic sectors, including the private sector,” said Justice Minister He Rong, while explaining the draft on Saturday during the ongoing session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the national legislature.

The draft private sector promotion law covers areas such as fair competition, investment and financing environments, scientific and technological innovation, regulatory guidance, service support, rights and interests protection and legal liabilities.

The draft has incorporated suggestions solicited from representatives of the private sector, experts, scholars and the general public, the minister said.

China left its benchmark lending rates unchanged as expected at the monthly fixing on Friday.

Persistent deflationary pressure and tepid credit demand call for more stimulus to aid the broad economy, but narrowing interest margin on the back of fast falling yields and a weakening yuan limit the scope for immediate monetary easing.

The one-year loan prime rate (LPR) was kept at 3.10%, while the five-year LPR was unchanged at 3.60%.

In a Reuters poll of 27 market participants conducted this week, all respondents expected both rates to stay unchanged.

Morgan Stanley said in a note that the 2025 budget deficit and mix are more positive than expected and suggest Beijing is willing to set a high growth target and record fiscal budget to boost market confidence, but further policy details are unlikely before March.

Last Friday, data released by the country's central bank said total assets of China's financial institutions had risen to 489.15 trillion yuan (about $68.03 trillion) by the end of third quarter this year.

The figure represented a year-on-year increase of 8%, said the People's Bank of China.

Of the total, the assets of the banking sector reached 439.52 trillion yuan, up 7.3% year on year, while the assets of securities institutions rose 8.7% year on year to 14.64 trillion yuan.

The insurance sector's assets jumped 18.3% year on year to 35 trillion yuan, the data showed.

The liabilities of the financial institutions totaled 446.51 trillion yuan, up 8% year on year, according to the central bank.

Separately, data released by the National Energy Administration on Thursday showed that China's electricity consumption, a key barometer of economic activity, rose by 7.1% year on year in the first 11months of the year.

During the period, power consumption of the country's primary industries increased by 6.8% year on year, while that of its secondary and tertiary sectors rose by 5.3% and 10.4%, respectively.

Residential power usage saw strong growth of 11.6% during this period, the administration said.

In November alone, power usage climbed 2.8% from one year earlier, according to the data.