Egypt, Qatar Agree to Boost Relations, Increase Investments

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly during his meeting with the Qatar Chamber and the Qatari Businessmen Association (Egyptian Cabinet)
Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly during his meeting with the Qatar Chamber and the Qatari Businessmen Association (Egyptian Cabinet)
TT

Egypt, Qatar Agree to Boost Relations, Increase Investments

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly during his meeting with the Qatar Chamber and the Qatari Businessmen Association (Egyptian Cabinet)
Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly during his meeting with the Qatar Chamber and the Qatari Businessmen Association (Egyptian Cabinet)

Egypt and Qatar agreed to boost relations and increase investments to establish trade alliances and partnerships.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced that the exchange rate issue would soon be solved after the black market rate approached the official rate.

Madbouly called on the business sector in Qatar to invest in his country, stressing his determination and the governmental team accompanying him to remove all obstacles that prevent exciting projects by adopting several reforms and incentives.

On Tuesday, Madbouly met representatives of the Qatar Chamber and the Qatari Businessmen Association.

Chairperson of Qatar Chamber (QC) HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim Al Thani said that the meeting aimed to discuss aspects and opportunities for cooperation between the Qatari private sector and its Egyptian counterpart in the economic, trade, and investment fields.

Bin Jassim hoped that the meeting would promote mutual investments to reach higher rates of trade exchange, which witnessed remarkable development in recent years.

Qatari businessmen are monitoring the remarkable developments of the Egyptian economy, and the big boom in infrastructure and development projects which provide many investment opportunities said the Chairperson.

He indicated that it incentivized Qatari business owners to direct their investments to the Egyptian market, especially with feasible opportunities in various sectors such as agriculture, food security, industry, real estate, hospitality, and others.

Bin Jassim expressed confidence that the coming period would witness increased rapprochement between Qatari and Egyptian businessmen, preparing a solid ground for establishing alliances and partnerships.

Madbouly stated that Egypt is prepared to approve laws on more tax incentives, including exempting investors from 55 percent of the taxes they pay in their investment field. He underlined that Egypt focuses on promoting the private sector's economic participation.

He explained that some international companies working in Egypt requested the introduction of specific incentives, which the parliament approved.

Several Qatari investors expressed their desire to speed up the establishment of the Egyptian-Qatari joint investment fund with significant capital, according to Madbouly.

Over the past nine years, the Egyptian state faced significant political challenges, including two revolutions and a war on terrorism, said the PM, adding that the focus at that stage revolved around developing and strengthening the infrastructure.

Egypt was able to improve and develop its infrastructure in various fields and sectors, establish a national network of roads, and provide essential services, which aims to achieve the goal of promoting investments.

Madbouly also stressed that the Egyptian state is determined to provide many investment incentives and focused on incentives in agriculture, industry, tourism, and advanced industries and technologies.

He noted that Egypt is a large market, adding that the state is keen to reduce the deficit in its hard currency resources, which can only be achieved by encouraging the private sector to find local industries.

During Madbouly's visit to Qatar, three memorandums of understanding were signed with several Qatari companies to support and enhance aspects of the partnership with the private sector in providing healthcare services.



Saudi Leadership Extends Condolences to Thailand over Victims of Crane Collapse on Train

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA)
TT

Saudi Leadership Extends Condolences to Thailand over Victims of Crane Collapse on Train

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA)
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. (SPA)

The Saudi leadership extended condolences on Sunday to King of Thailand over the victims of a crane accident that fell onto a train in northeastern Thailand killing tens and injuring several.

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques sent a cable to King of Thailand, Maha Vajiralongkorn, offering his deepest condolences and sincere sympathy to the families of the deceased, and the Thai people, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, sent a similar cable to the Thai king.

He extended his deepest condolences to the king, the families of the deceased, and the Thai people.


Saudi Arabia Welcomes Agreement between Syrian Govt, SDF

People celebrate as Syrian government troops take control of the town from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Raqqa, northeastern Syria, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP)
People celebrate as Syrian government troops take control of the town from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Raqqa, northeastern Syria, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP)
TT

Saudi Arabia Welcomes Agreement between Syrian Govt, SDF

People celebrate as Syrian government troops take control of the town from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Raqqa, northeastern Syria, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP)
People celebrate as Syrian government troops take control of the town from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in Raqqa, northeastern Syria, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP)

Saudi Arabia welcomed on Monday the ceasefire agreement between the Syrian government and Syrian Democratic Forces that was reached on Sunday.

A Saudi Foreign Ministry statement hoped the deal would help bolster security and stability and build state institutions to meet the Syrian people's aspirations for development and prosperity.

The statement reiterated the Kingdom's full support for the Syrian government's efforts to boost civil peace and preserve Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Syrian government Sunday announced a ceasefire with the SDF, taking almost full control of the country and dismantling the Kurdish-led forces that controlled the northeast for over a decade.

The agreement includes dismantling the SDF and having its forces join Syria’s military and security forces, while senior military and civilian officials would be given high-ranking positions in state institutions.

The SDF would have to give up the Raqqa and Deir Ezzor provinces to the Syrian military and government, as well as its border crossings and oil and gas fields.


Saudi Arabia Ranks Second Globally in Humanitarian Aid for 2025

Saudi Arabia ranked second globally and first in the Arab world among donor countries for humanitarian aid in 2025. (SP)A
Saudi Arabia ranked second globally and first in the Arab world among donor countries for humanitarian aid in 2025. (SP)A
TT

Saudi Arabia Ranks Second Globally in Humanitarian Aid for 2025

Saudi Arabia ranked second globally and first in the Arab world among donor countries for humanitarian aid in 2025. (SP)A
Saudi Arabia ranked second globally and first in the Arab world among donor countries for humanitarian aid in 2025. (SP)A

Saudi Arabia ranked second globally and first in the Arab world among donor countries for humanitarian aid in 2025, leading in contributions to Yemen with 49.3% of total aid and ranking second for aid to Syria, according to the United Nations Financial Tracking Service.

A recently released 2024 report on development assistance showed that the Kingdom ranks second among 16 non-member donor countries and tenth globally in aid volume among all 48 donor countries, including both members and non-members.

Advisor at the Royal Court and Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah stressed that the Kingdom's leadership in humanitarian efforts reflects its commitment to generosity and prioritizing human dignity.

These figures are documented in real time on the Saudi Aid Platform, the region's largest aid platform. This approach, supported by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, has been crucial in achieving these international rankings and making a tangible global impact.

Al Rabeeah said Saudi Arabia remains a constant source of generosity and a beacon of goodwill, committed under its leadership to providing assistance to those in need worldwide.