Egypt - Oriental Weavers announced on Wednesday that it intends to withdraw its investments in China after the company’s Board of Directors approved the liquidation of its assets in the country after a study was conducted. She added that the company intends to invest $10m in 2022 in the company’s expansion operations to increase production capacity and keep pace with demand. Al-Gohary also pointed out that the proportion of raw materials that the company imports from China amounts to 5% of its total imported raw materials. Oriental Weavers owns a giant factory network that includes 31 industrial facilities distributed across Egypt, China, and the US, with Egypt accounting for 95% of the production operations. Mubasher Securities Research said that Oriental Weavers is currently building a new production facility called ‘Nefertari’ that includes 22 looms and a carpet finishing area at a total investment cost of $50m.

CAIRO – 11 August 2022: The 30th Fuheis Festival in Jordan was launched under the slogan “Jordan: History and Civilization”. The stars of the Arab Music Ensemble of Egypt’s Opera House presented an outstanding performance during the opening ceremony held on the main stage of the Roman Catholic Monastery. Egypt’s Minister of Culture Inas Abdel Dayem commented that choosing Egyptian stars to present the first concert at the opening of the 30th Fuheis Festival this year reflects the strength of the cultural and artistic ties between the two brotherly countries. She added that this confirms the strong influence of Egypt’s soft powers and its distinctive creativity in the Arab world.

The plan aims to continue reducing the illiteracy rate to 17 percent in 22/23 compared to 19 percent in 21 /22. In this article, et highlights the details of what has been done in the education sector within the framework of Haya Karima initiative:- Implementation of 2,427 projects, including 1,130 projects for the construction of school buildings. - Conducting 1,297 development projects and raising efficiency to establish and develop 1,105 educational classes to serve the people of 1,477 villages. - Allocating more than 2.7 billion pounds to the education sector within the "Haya Karima" initiative by 21/22. A report by the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development stated that the Egyptian state directed more than 1 trillion pounds, from the budget, for government spending on the education sector during the past eight years (14/2015-21/2022), with a growth rate of 158 percent compared to the eight years preceding the year 2015.

Elhamy El-Zayat, the former chairperson of the Egyptian Tourism Federation (ETF), told Daily News Egypt that Egypt’s tourism will restore less than 70% of its pre-COVID level this year, but the sector will boom next year, especially after hosting COP27 next November. Middle East tourist arrivals could reach about 50% to 70% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of this year, amid signs of a strong and steady recovery in the sector, according to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international tourism saw a strong rebound in the first five months of 2022, with almost 250 million international arrivals recorded. This compares to 77 million arrivals from January to May 2021 and means that the sector has recovered almost half (46%) of pre-pandemic 2019 levels. “The recovery of tourism has gathered pace in many parts of the world, weathering the challenges standing in its way,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili.

Egypt’s non-oil exports increased by 20% during the first half (1H) of this year to reach $19.353bn, compared to 1H 2021’s $16.164bn. Ready-made garments exports also increased by 42% to reach $1.287bn, compared to $904m, accounting for 7% of Egypt’s total non-oil exports. Moreover, medical exports increased by 36% to reach $471m, compared to $347m, accounting for 2% of Egypt’s total non-oil exports. The report also pointed out that the value of Egypt’s exports of yarn and textiles increased by 30% to $555m, compared to $427m, accounting for 3% of Egypt’s total non-oil exports. Additionally, Egypt’s exports of furniture decreased by 20% to approximately $117m, compared to $146m, accounting for 1% of the country’s total non-oil exports.

The president ordered the rapid completion of electricity projects that will serve the national agricultural projects. The meeting witnessed a presentation of the situation of electricity projects that will serve the national agricultural projects, especially land reclamation in Sinai, Upper Egypt, and the New Delta, in addition to water lifting stations. Egypt’s sustainable energy strategy aims to increase renewable energy production to 42% from the total electricity capacity by 2035, in order to make good use of Egypt’s renewable energy resources. The president directed to strengthen the national plans to increase the share of renewable energy to keep pace with the global development goals on climate change. President Al-Sisi was also briefed on the latest developments in electricity interconnection projects with neighbouring countries, especially Saudi Arabia, Greece, and Cyprus.

CAIRO – 7 August 2022: Egypt will soon launch a presidential campaign of planting 100 million trees nationwide, announced the cabinet in a statement on Sunday. The Minister of Local Development Mahmoud Shaarawy said, at the meeting, that there are 9,900 sites with a total area of 6600 acres that have been pinpointed nationwide to be suitable for tree forests or gardens. The Minister continued that more tree planting programs would be carried out in schools, universities, institutes, neighborhoods, local units, youth centers, and others. Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Al Sayed Al-Qusseir said that the ministry could cultivate orchards, palms, and tree forests, of which 33 forests are available in various governorates. He added that many trees of forests depend on treated sewage water in Irrigation, calling for the need for a mechanism to ensure the availability of the water needs of the Presidential Initiative for irrigation.

REUTERS/Costas BaltasCAIRO - 7 August 2022: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced Sunday that the current number of international migrants residing in Egypt reached a total of 9 million migrants and refugees. In its latest assessment of migrant stocks in Egypt, IOM revealed that the current number of international migrants residing in Egypt was 9,012,582 equivalent migrants to 8.7% of the Egyptian population (103,655,989). These four nationalities constitute 80% of the international migrants currently residing in the country. It helps the Organization to plan its responses to the actual needs of the migrants residing in Egypt. IOM Egypt also collaborates with the Ministry of State for Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates’ Affairs to create conditions for the Egyptian expatriates (estimated 10 - 14 million)[7] to fully contribute to the sustainable development of Egypt.

CAIRO – 7 August 2022: Egypt followed up the deportation of eight Egyptian sailors from the port of Suakin in the Sudanese Red Sea state, where their ship sank and they also lost all their belongings, including their passports, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry in a statement on Saturday. The consulate immediately issued documents for the sailors to return home, the statement added. Egypt is also following up on the sialors’ conditions and financial dues from the ship-owning company, as well as coordinating with the Sudanese Sea Ports Authority to finish investigations into the shipwreck incident.

CAIRO – 6 August 2022: Egypt has a positive role regarding what is happening in Gaza by conducting contacts with the Palestinian and Israeli sides, said President Abdel Fattah El Sisi in his speech during an inspection tour of the Military on Saturday. “We took the diplomatic way when it comes to the Renaissance Dam and negotiation to reach a solution to it,” said the President. The President tackled efforts of the Egyptian state in the social protection projects related to the Decent Life Project. President El-Sisi congratulated the graduating students for completing their military studies and joining the Armed Forces as a new generation full of hope and patriotism. The President reviewed the executive position of the work of the Military Academy, and the proposal of the new uniform for students of the Academy.

CAIRO – 6 August 2022: Hossam Abdel Ghaffar, a spokesman for the Ministry of Health and Population, confirmed that no positive cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in Egypt so far. Hossam Abdel Ghaffar added that an integrated guideline for the disease was issued, and updated according to the developments of the global and regional epidemiological situation, and was distributed in all governorates. He explained that all directorates of health affairs were trained on the guideline, activating the rapid response team at the central level. The training also includes activating disease monitoring at all entry points and anticipating the arrival of any suspected cases, to take the necessary measures to isolate and refer them to the nearest fever hospital. Staff were also trained to provide the necessary reagents to examine cases in the central laboratories of the Ministry the health.

CAIRO – 6 August 2022: Egyptian Minister of Environment, Dr. Yasmine Fouad, confirmed that the state grants incentives for investments in the production of biodegradable plastic bags, and signed a contract with the U.S. to establish the first factory to produce environment-friendly bags from eggshell, instead of plastic. The ministry also supports about 3,500 other factories that produce single-use bags, in order to follow the environmental specifications to properly produce biodegradable bags, she added. The Minister of Environment confirmed that the law warned against the use of single-use bags, and Article 27 of the law included a warning against the use of plastic bags. 202 of 2020 regulating waste management established a package of controls on the use of plastic bags. and economic, tax and customs exemptions to encourage the import, production and manufacture of safe and environmentally-friendly alternatives to single-use plastic bags.

CAIRO – 5 August 2022: Egypt has been carrying intensive Egyptian communications to control the escalation in Gaza Strip and calm the situation, according to security source. The sources confirmed that the Egyptian mediation to calm the situation in Gaza Strip will continue until reaching ceasefire. Cairo called on all parties to exercise self-restraint in order to control the situation in Gaza Strip and to prevent it from developing. Warplanes also attacked targets in the town of Beit Lahia, north of the Strip, as well as in Khan Yunis in the south of the enclave. The Israeli artillery also attacked targets in the north and east of the Strip, causing physical damages.

CAIRO – 5 August 2022: Egypt’s Permanent Representative of Egypt to the United Nations Osama Abdel Khalek affirmed the need that the nuclear-weapon countries fulfill their multilateral legal obligations regarding nuclear disarmament, state’s news agency MENA reported. Abdel Khalek shed light on the serious developments linked to the formation of new security alliances that directly pose a threat to the nuclear non-proliferation regime and will have a negative impact on nuclear disarmament efforts. This is in addition to the fact that nuclear disarmament is mainly a legal obligation that should not be linked to estimates or political alignments. Any measures taken to reduce nuclear risks should not be a substitute for nuclear disarmament, the Egyptian envoy said. Grossi hailed Egypt's central contributions - on the regional and international scales - in the field of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, asserting the agency's support to the country’s Dabaa nuclear project.

“If Ethiopia thinks at any time of selling water to Israel, it can only take place through Egypt, and this idea will be rejected [by Egypt],” Nader Nour Eddin, Professor of Water Resources at Cairo University, commented on the recent controversy over Ethiopia’s sale of water to Israel. “Water has never been a source of wealth, and Ethiopia must change this idea. It is not normal to take [Egypt’s] share and then sell it. He pointed out that the World Bank has the right to sell water quotas if there is an abundance, explaining that Ethiopia has an abundance of water, yet it is intransigent in the file of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Hefny added that the Egypt’s Foreign Ministry’s letter was addressed to the Security Council, and it must assume its responsibilities in maintaining international peace and security.