Egyptian Cabinet to Benefit from Former Headquarters in Investment

Madbouly follows up efforts to benefit from state headquarters across the country. (Egyptian government)
Madbouly follows up efforts to benefit from state headquarters across the country. (Egyptian government)
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Egyptian Cabinet to Benefit from Former Headquarters in Investment

Madbouly follows up efforts to benefit from state headquarters across the country. (Egyptian government)
Madbouly follows up efforts to benefit from state headquarters across the country. (Egyptian government)

The Egyptian government seeks to benefit from its former headquarters following the transfer of ministries into the New Administrative Capital.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly stressed the government’s keenness on continuous follow-up of the state assets and on taking necessary steps to optimize them.

The PM noted that there are reports on several assets across the Egyptian provinces, including many proposals and recommendations on exploiting these assets by issuing them for investment by the private sector to achieve more returns.

Madbouly held a meeting on Thursday to follow up on optimizing the state assets. The meeting was attended by several ministers.

Egyptian government spokesperson Nader Saad said the meeting touched on some of the assets in the provinces of Cairo and Giza that overlook the Nile River in order to optimize them by issuing them for investment.

Last month, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi met with Madbouly and cabinet members at the Strategic Leadership Center in the New Administrative Capital.

The spokesman for the Presidency, Ahmed Fahmy, stated that the meeting discussed the government's plan to relocate ministries and various state agencies and institutions to the new capital.

According to the spokesman, Sisi directed intensifying efforts to ensure the government's move to the capital was smooth.

He noted that it could only be achieved through the modernization of buildings and premises and the qualification of workers, and providing training programs to government personnel to teach them modern methods of administration.

"These efforts, in turn, would contribute to establishing an efficient and effective administrative body," he said.

Moreover, Saad added that the meeting pointed out that the Sovereign Fund of Egypt would start evaluating the assets which were showcased during the meeting and the buildings and lands they have.

The assessment will be based on global assessors for the sake of marketing the assets and establishing investment projects on them, especially since these lands are in unique regions on the Nile River.



US Defers Removal of Some Lebanese, Citing Israel-Hezbollah Tensions

Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
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US Defers Removal of Some Lebanese, Citing Israel-Hezbollah Tensions

Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)
Smoke billows from a site targeted by Lebanon's Hezbollah, along the northern Israeli border with Lebanon on July 25, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. (AFP)

The United States is deferring the removal of certain Lebanese citizens from the country, President Joe Biden said on Friday, citing humanitarian conditions in southern Lebanon amid tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.

The deferred designation, which lasts 18 months, allows Lebanese citizens to remain in the country with the right to work, according to a memorandum Biden sent to the Department of Homeland Security.

"Humanitarian conditions in southern Lebanon have significantly deteriorated due to tensions between Hezbollah and Israel," Biden said in the memo.

"While I remain focused on de-escalating the situation and improving humanitarian conditions, many civilians remain in danger; therefore, I am directing the deferral of removal of certain Lebanese nationals who are present in the United States."

Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have been trading fire since Hezbollah announced a "support front" with Palestinians shortly after its ally Hamas attacked southern Israeli border communities on Oct. 7, triggering Israel's military assault in Gaza.

The fighting in Lebanon has killed more than 100 civilians and more than 300 Hezbollah fighters, according to a Reuters tally, and led to levels of destruction in Lebanese border towns and villages not seen since the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war.

On the Israeli side, 10 Israeli civilians, a foreign agricultural worker and 20 Israeli soldiers have been killed. Tens of thousands have been evacuated from both sides of the border.