The Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA) anticipates temperatures across Egypt to continue rising on Sunday. A member of the EMA’s media center, Manar Ghanem, explained that the maximum temperature in Greater Cairo is at 27C, six to seven degrees above the average. This is due to hot air masses originating from the desert regions, she stated, in addition to the influence of a high-pressure system in the upper atmosphere, bringing warmer weather and increased periods of sunshine. During the talk show “Hadith al-Qahira” (Cairo Talk), Ghanem predicted wind speeds of 35 to 45 kilometers per hour, bringing dusty weather to Greater Cairo and Upper Egypt. Expected temperatures for Sunday:Matrouh, Alexandria and Cairo: 26CSharm El-Sheikh and Hurghada: 27CLuxor: 30CAswan: 31CEdited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) has officially launched a contactless electronic payment acceptance service that allows merchants to use smartphones and tablets as electronic points of sale (POS). The service utilizes Soft POS applications, enabling smart devices to function as payment terminals. Under the new system, merchants can accept payments from various contactless cards by downloading an application, with card PINs entered directly on the device through internationally accredited and secure protocols. By using mobile devices as terminals, the service eliminates purchase and maintenance costs associated with traditional POS hardware for payment service providers and merchants. The official rollout follows a pilot version of the service launched in previous years, which carried a transaction limit of EGP 600.

The destination of choice is increasingly clear: the Egyptian property market. Cost-Push Reality: Why Prices Defy GravityThe narrative that Egyptian property prices might cool is being met with firm resistance from the sector’s largest players. “The demand is real, not speculative,” Moustafa noted, highlighting that over the last 50 years, real estate in Egypt has outperformed the US dollar. “These fluctuations may drive some investors to exit gold and move toward real estate, which offers more stability,” Genena stated. He added that the influx of liquidity from maturing bank certificates would likely create a “state of balance” in the property market, preventing a vacuum as other asset classes cool.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi received a phone call on Saturday from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The call addressed developments in the Iranian nuclear issue, with Sisi expressing Egypt’s deep concern over escalating tensions in the region. Sisi emphasized that diplomatic solutions are the only way to resolve the crisis, thus sparing the Middle East region further tension and instability. Sisi expressed Egypt’s hope and support that all parties involved would prioritize dialogue to overcome differences and reach a comprehensive settlement. The Iranian President on his end expressed deep gratitude for Egypt’s positive role in preventing escalation and maintaining security and stability in the region, affirming his country’s commitment to strengthening political consultation and coordination with Egypt to support regional stability.

Egypt’s Ministry of Finance has announced plans to issue local debt instruments worth EGP 843bn in February 2025, as part of a broader plan published on the ministry’s official website. CBE, which conducts the tenders on behalf of the government, will offer in February 16 Treasury bill tenders worth EGP 660bn, 13 Treasury bond tenders worth EGP 172bn, in addition to two sukuk tenders worth EGP 11bn. According to the plan, Treasury bills worth EGP 100bn will be offered with a 91-day maturity, EGP 160bn with a 182-day maturity, and EGP 190bn with a 273-day maturity, while 364-day T-bills worth EGP 210bn are also scheduled. The plan also includes the issuance of two-year Treasury bonds worth EGP 48bn, including EGP 12bn in zero-coupon bonds, alongside three-year bonds worth EGP 90bn and five-year bonds worth EGP 34bn, including EGP 4bn in floating-rate bonds. In addition, the ministry plans to issue two local fixed-return sukuk tenders worth a total of EGP 11bn.

At least 12 people, including children, were killed and others injured after Israeli airstrikes struck locations across Gaza, Palestinian health officials reported on Jan. 31, 2026. The latest strikes occurred amid ongoing Israeli military operations in the territory and add to the mounting humanitarian toll in a densely populated enclave already strained by two years of intense conflict. Hospitals in Gaza, which operate under chronic resource constraints, are confronting shortages of medicines, fuel and surgical supplies as patient numbers rise. The strikes are part of sustained Israeli campaigns that have continued despite repeated international calls for de-escalation. Disruption to markets and transport within Gaza is likely to deepen unemployment and reduce household incomes, prolonging dependency on international aid.

The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) on Saturday called for an African Union-led dialogue to resolve “outstanding issues” with the Ethiopian government, as the European Union warned of “military confrontations and clashes” in the country’s north. In a letter addressed to African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, TPLF Chairman Debretsion Gebremichael said the group remains committed to the Pretoria Permanent Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (COHA). The group urged the African Union to generate the “necessary momentum” to move beyond what it described as a “current impasse.”The European Union reiterated that the November 2022 agreement must serve as the framework for dispute resolution. Government drone strikes on Tigray; TPLF media says it hit food trucksReuters reported that one person has been killed and another injured in drone strikes in Ethiopia’s ‍northern Tigray ‍region. TPLF-affiliated news outlet Dimtsi Weyane posted pictures on Facebook that ‌it said showed the trucks damaged in the strikes.

Somalia’s decision to dismantle its long-standing agreements with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) marks a seismic shift in the Horn of Africa’s diplomatic landscape. Somalia’s fragile federal system grants significant autonomy to regional states like Puntland and Jubaland, while Somaliland maintains a stance of total independence. Opening a second front against regional administrations would risk a total fracture of the state along clan lines. In 2018, UAE officials claimed their arrangements in Berbera carried the “blessing” of the Somali federal government. For an Israeli administration facing domestic turmoil and regional isolation, a foothold in the Horn of Africa offers a strategic diversion.

South Sudan government and opposition forces have issued contradictory claims over the control of strategic territories in Jonglei State, as humanitarian organizations warned that nearly 400,000 civilians are at risk due to blocked aid and escalating violence. The South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF) Deputy Spokesperson, Ateny Wek Ateny, announced in a Facebook video on Saturday that the national army had recaptured areas previously controlled by the Sudan People’s Liberation Army in Opposition (SPLA-IO) and the White Army militia. “The conflict is fundamentally between the government and the SPLA-IO, not civilians,” Olony said, adding that no single community could rule South Sudan on the basis of tribal identity. Humanitarian situation defoliate in South SudanThe humanitarian situation has deteriorated alongside the fighting. Adham Effendi, WFP’s Acting Country Director in South Sudan, warned that 60 percent of Jonglei’s population is projected to experience crisis-level hunger during the upcoming lean season.

Gold prices in the Egyptian market fell sharply on Saturday as global rates retreated from record highs following the nomination of Kevin Warsh as the next US Federal Reserve Chair. Earlier in the week, global gold had hit an all-time high of $5,602 per ounce. Despite the late-month sell-off, global gold recorded monthly gains of 13.4% for January. Embaby noted that local gold had previously been priced between EGP 300 and EGP 500 above global rates. He stated that local prices must now match global levels, noting the current gap stands at approximately EGP 230.

Egypt’s acting environment minister Manal Awad said on Saturday that the ministerial declaration issued after the second meeting of the Middle East Green Initiative’s ministerial council reaffirmed member states’ commitment to strengthen regional cooperation to combat land degradation, halt desertification and boost resilience to drought. Awad said the meeting, chaired by Saudi Environment Minister Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli in Jeddah, brought together council members from 30 countries. She also highlighted an announcement by the Arab Coordination Group pledging $12 billion by 2030 to support global projects aimed at restoring degraded lands and strengthening resilience to drought and desertification. The declaration stressed the importance of multilateral cooperation with regional and international organisations, as well as the key role of the private sector, financial institutions and civil society in addressing land degradation and drought challenges, Awad said. The declaration also approved rotating the council’s presidency among regional member states in Africa and Asia starting in 2027, and welcomed Ghana, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka and Syria as new regional members of the initiative.

Egypt is seeking to align international development support with state fiscal reform priorities to maximise the effectiveness of technical and financial aid, Deputy Finance Minister for Fiscal Policy Yasser Sobhi said on Saturday. Participants at the meeting discussed the outcomes of cooperation with international financial institutions between 2023 and 2025 and established objectives for the upcoming year to avoid the duplication of activities. Sobhi explained that the ministry’s future priorities include expanding digital transformation and the use of Artificial Intelligence in public financial management to improve data-driven decision-making and sustainability. The ministry is also working to complete the implementation of gender and climate-responsive budgeting, internal auditing, and government procurement reforms. Sobhi concluded by emphasising the importance of enhancing communication with citizens through simplified fiscal reporting to ensure transparency regarding the state’s financial objectives.

Egypt and Rwanda have signed an executive action plan to activate a bilateral memorandum of understanding on water resources management and irrigation, Egypt’s water ministry said on Saturday. The agreement was finalised during an official visit by Egyptian Water Resources Minister Hani Sewilam to Kigali, where he and Rwanda’s Environment Minister Bernadette Arakwu attended the closing session of the joint steering committee meetings for the Water Resources Management and Irrigation Project. The plan includes development projects designed to address Rwanda’s water needs, such as the drilling of wells and the construction of rainwater-harvesting dams to provide clean drinking water for communities and livestock. During the visit, Sewilam and Arakwu toured the Nyandungu Eco-Park in Kigali. Arakwu highlighted Rwanda’s efforts to promote sustainable urban models that balance development and environmental protection.

However, at its core, this proposal raises fundamental questions that go to the heart of economic national security and the very independence of the Central Bank. Furthermore, the Suez Canal is a sovereign entity governed by a unique set of laws. Any disruption in global shipping would directly impact the bank’s financial position, potentially undermining the currency’s strength during international crises. Traditionally, a central bank’s assets should remain in gold, cash, and readily marketable international securities rather than fixed infrastructure that cannot be easily liquidated. Protecting the Suez Canal and the Central Bank requires each to remain on its own independent track.

Egypt hosts African Union representatives to discuss trade corridors and regional stability as Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty reaffirmed Cairo’s commitment to the African Union’s founding principles of state sovereignty and non-interference on Saturday. During the meeting with representatives of AU organisations and offices, Abdelatty stated that Egypt, as a founding member of the AU, prioritises joint action to consolidate peace, security, and development across the continent. He noted that these principles represent a fundamental pillar of Egyptian foreign policy within bilateral, regional, and international frameworks. Furthermore, the minister highlighted Egypt’s support for African solutions to African problems and the preservation of national institutions. Addressing the political and security challenges facing the continent, the minister urged AU offices to play an active role in conflict prevention and the peaceful resolution of crises.