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Egypt, Madagascar to Enhance Cooperation in Military Production

Egypt’s Minister of State for Military Production Mohamed Morsy meets the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Madagascar (Egyptian Cabinet page on Facebook)
Egypt’s Minister of State for Military Production Mohamed Morsy meets the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Madagascar (Egyptian Cabinet page on Facebook)
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Egypt, Madagascar to Enhance Cooperation in Military Production

Egypt’s Minister of State for Military Production Mohamed Morsy meets the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Madagascar (Egyptian Cabinet page on Facebook)
Egypt’s Minister of State for Military Production Mohamed Morsy meets the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Madagascar (Egyptian Cabinet page on Facebook)

Egyptian Minister of State for Military Production Mohamed Morsy has met with Madagascar’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Patrick Ralolina as part of efforts to achieve African integration and exchange expertise.

Morsy said that the meeting discussed ways to enhance cooperation in various fields of manufacturing. It further reviewed the technical, technological, manufacturing, and human capabilities of the ministry and its subsidiaries.

Morsy asserted the ministry’s interest in strengthening the strategic partnership between production companies in Egypt and Madagascar.

He also stressed the ministry’s keenness to exchange expertise and achieve integration within the African continent, pointing to his ministry’s goal to meet the needs of Madagascar.

For his part, Ralolina expressed his country’s aspiration to achieve fruitful cooperation with Egypt in various industrial fields.

He praised the technical expertise and the technological capabilities of military production companies and their role in supporting the Egyptian state’s plan for development.

Ralolina hailed the economic reform measures taken by Egypt.

Monay’s meeting came as part of Ralolina’s visit to Egypt to participate in the 21st Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) summit on November 23.

Madagascar would hand over the chairmanship of the COMESA to Egypt during this summit.

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Arab World

Lebanon’s War Losses Double Compared to 2006

Rescuers and aid workers search for survivors at the site of an Israeli airstrike in eastern Lebanon (AFP)
Rescuers and aid workers search for survivors at the site of an Israeli airstrike in eastern Lebanon (AFP)
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Lebanon’s War Losses Double Compared to 2006

Rescuers and aid workers search for survivors at the site of an Israeli airstrike in eastern Lebanon (AFP)
Rescuers and aid workers search for survivors at the site of an Israeli airstrike in eastern Lebanon (AFP)

A comparison of the current human and material losses from the ongoing Hezbollah-Israel conflict with those from the July 2006 war shows that current losses have doubled.

Experts warn that the reconstruction funds and aid pledged to Lebanon 18 years ago may have limited impact once the war ends.

Total Losses

Mohammad Shamseddine, a researcher from Information International, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the death toll has risen from 900 in 2006 to 2,865 in the current conflict (as of October 31, 2024), with the number increasing daily. The number of wounded was 4,000 in 2006, but it has now exceeded 13,047.

In 2006, 600,000 people were displaced, while today that number has surpassed 1.2 million. Of these, 189,174 are in shelters. A total of 358,133 Syrians and 172,604 Lebanese have fled to Syria, and 120,000 have sought refuge in other countries.

Lebanese Economy and Trade Minister Amin Salam estimated that Lebanon’s total economic losses from the current conflict have reached $20 billion. However, economic associations report direct losses between $10 billion and $12 billion, covering damage to key sectors, homes, buildings, and infrastructure.

These figures align with estimates from Shamseddine, who believes direct and indirect losses are around $10 billion.

Of this, $4 billion occurred from October 8, 2023, to September 17, 2024 (when the conflict was mostly limited to the south), and $7 billion from September 17 to October 31, 2024, after Israel expanded the war. For comparison, losses during the 2006 war totaled $5.3 billion.

In 2006, infrastructure damage was valued at $900 million, higher than the current war's $570 million in infrastructure losses.

Housing losses in 2006 totaled $2.2 billion, while they have now surpassed $4.26 billion. Mohammad Shamseddine points out that commercial losses were similar in both conflicts, at $4.7 million.

Agricultural and environmental losses in 2006 were $450 million, but now exceed $900 million. Indirect economic damages were $1.2 billion in 2006, while they have now surpassed $3.38 billion.

One notable difference is the number of airstrikes: from October 8, 2023, to October 31, 2024, there were 11,647, compared to just 3,670 during the 33-day 2006 war.