KSA Enables Private Sector to Invest In State Development Projects

Saudi Arabia seeks to enable the private sector to participate in government development projects. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia seeks to enable the private sector to participate in government development projects. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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KSA Enables Private Sector to Invest In State Development Projects

Saudi Arabia seeks to enable the private sector to participate in government development projects. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia seeks to enable the private sector to participate in government development projects. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Real Estate announced the signing of a MoU with the Projects Support Fund at the Ministry of Finance to enhance mutual cooperation in the field of partnerships with the private sector.

The memorandum gives the private sector the opportunity to invest in development projects in the sectors covered by the fund, namely education, health care and real estate development.

The governor of the Real Estate General Authority, Ihsan Bafakih, said on Thursday that the MoU reflected the Authority’s approach towards enhancing integration and partnership between all components of the government system in order to achieve the desired goals.

According to Bafakih, the Authority and the Fund seek, through the MoU, to achieve several goals, including contributing to financing real estate development projects, such as buildings and integrated service projects, in accordance with the financing policies approved by the Fund, in addition to qualifying private sector institutions and introducing them to the financial and technical requirements and providing an favorable environment to attract various qualitative investments.

On a different note, the National Debt Management Center at the Ministry of Finance (NDMC) signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI). The agreement was signed by Fahad Al-Saif, Chief Executive Officer of the NDMC, and Atsuo Kuroda, Chairman and CEO of NEXI.

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan, who is also the chairman of the NDMC’s Board of Directors, said that the signing of the Memorandum came in parallel with the fifth Saudi-Japan Vision 2030 Ministerial Meeting and aimed to expand the opportunities of financing government projects implemented by Japanese companies in the Kingdom.



Egypt’s Central Bank Reports $26 Billion in Remittances in 11 Months

General view of the new headquarters of the Central Bank of Egypt, at the New Administrative Capital (NAC) in the east of Cairo, Egypt, March 18, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo
General view of the new headquarters of the Central Bank of Egypt, at the New Administrative Capital (NAC) in the east of Cairo, Egypt, March 18, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo
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Egypt’s Central Bank Reports $26 Billion in Remittances in 11 Months

General view of the new headquarters of the Central Bank of Egypt, at the New Administrative Capital (NAC) in the east of Cairo, Egypt, March 18, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo
General view of the new headquarters of the Central Bank of Egypt, at the New Administrative Capital (NAC) in the east of Cairo, Egypt, March 18, 2024. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany/File Photo

The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) has announced that November 2024 saw a substantial 65.4% year-over-year increase in remittances, which reached approximately $2.6 billion compared to $1.6 billion in November 2023.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the bank said there has been a remarkable rise in remittances, with Egyptians working abroad sending home $26.3 billion during the first 11 months of 2024—up from $17.9 billion in the same period of 2023. This marks an impressive growth rate of 47.1%.

The CBE attributed the significant increase in remittances to the economic reforms implemented in March 2024.

Between July and November last year, remittances grew by 77%, reaching around $13.8 billion —up from $7.8 billion in the same period of 2023.

Remittances from Egyptians abroad have long been one of Egypt’s most vital sources of foreign currency.