CAIRO - 16 May 2024: The ancient Egyptian civilization was a pioneer in good water management and in harnessing the waters of the Nile River to build a great civilization. Over the past years, development has continued for all elements of the water system until the present day, as Egypt works to confront water challenges resulting from limited water resources and population increase. 2- Egypt’s water needs are about 114 billion cubic meters of water annually, while Egypt’s water resources are estimated at about 59.60 billion cubic meters annually. 3- We have 55.50 billion from the Nile River water, 1.30 billion from rainwater, 2.40 billion from non-renewable deep groundwater and 0.40 billion from seawater desalination. 4- A total of 20.90 billion cubic meters of water are reused annually, and agricultural crops are imported from abroad, corresponding to a water consumption estimated at about 33.50 billion cubic meters of water annually.

India and Iran are set to sign a 10-year agreement for India to manage the Chabahar port, marking a significant development in bilateral cooperation with potential geopolitical implications for the region. The Chabahar port is seen as a crucial link between India and Afghanistan, Central Asia, and the wider Eurasian region, ANI, a partner of TV BRICS reported. Future plans include connecting Chabahar with the North-South International Transport Corridor, which aims to create a trade route from India to Russia through Iran. The North-South International Transport Corridor is envisioned to transport goods from India and the Gulf States to Western and Northern Europe through Iran, Azerbaijan, and Russia, integrating the railways of these countries. Experts view the Chabahar port agreement as a geopolitical milestone, facilitating trade and connectivity in the region.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian announced plans to deepen relations with India within the BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) frameworks. Amir-Abdollahian affirmed Iran’s commitment to strengthening ties with India on both bilateral and multilateral levels. The Iranian foreign minister highlighted the signing of an agreement with India on the development and operation of Iran’s Chabahar port. He hailed this as a significant opportunity to bolster trade cooperation between the two nations, pledging Iran’s full support to fulfil the terms of the agreement. This development marks a significant step in expanding collaboration between Iran and India, particularly within the BRICS and SCO frameworks.

CAIRO – 15 May 2024: Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al Sisi arrived in Bahrain on Wednesday to attend the 33rd session of the Arab League Council. Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al Khalifa received Sisi at the airport. Sisi’s participation in the Arab Summit in Manama reflects Egypt’s keenness to coordinate stances with Arab countries in this critical time and amid big challenges facing the Arab world. The Israeli aggression in Gaza tops the agenda of the Arab Summit, which will kick off here Thursday. President Sisi is expected to hold several bilateral meetings with Arab leaders, on the sidelines of the summit, to discuss ways to enhance cooperation and joint coordination mechanisms.

CAIRO – 15 May 2024: The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) pulled EGP 1 trillion in liquidity from local banks, which is the largest such withdrawal in the bank's history. The interest rate offered during the CBE's weekly fixed-rate auction was set at 27.75 percent, as stated on the bank's official website. This liquidity withdrawal is part of the CBE's open market operations to effectively regulate the money supply within the Egyptian banking system. The purpose of these deposit auctions is to help curb the country's high inflation rate. The overall monthly inflation rate for April 2024 was 0.9 percent, compared to 1.0 percent in March 2024.

CAIRO - 15 May 2024: President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi heads to the Kingdom of Bahrain on Wednesday, to participate in the 33rd session of the Arab League Council at the summit level, held in Manama. Key Points of President Sisi's ParticipationFocus on Arab Coordination: The spokesperson for the Presidency, Counselor Ahmed Fahmy, stated that President Sisi's participation in the summit emphasizes Egypt's commitment to coordinating with Arab brothers and unifying positions. This comes in light of the critical phase the Arab region is experiencing and the significant challenges it faces on various levels. Additionally, there will be a focus on monitoring Arab joint efforts to support the development trajectory for the benefit of all Arab peoples. Bilateral Meetings:President Sisi is scheduled to hold several bilateral meetings with his Arab counterparts on the sidelines of the summit to discuss ways to enhance cooperation and mechanisms for joint coordination.

South Africa submitted a request last week to impose additional measures due to the Israeli attack on Rafah, Palestine. Egypt announced on Sunday its intervention to support South Africa's case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which accuses Israel of committing acts of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The statement emphasizes that Egypt's intervention comes in response to the escalating severity and scale of Israeli assaults on Palestinians in Gaza. Egypt calls on Israel, as the occupying force, to comply with the provisional measures issued by the ICJ. These measures call for ensuring adequate aid delivery and refraining from any violations against Palestinians by Israeli forces.

Valu, a leading financial technology company in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), has partnered with the Forset Hayah Foundation to support the treatment of children with rare diseases, particularly spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), in 2024. During Ramadan, EGP 20 was donated to the foundation for every transaction made using Valu, helping to save the lives of 10 children with SMA. Walid Hassouna, CEO of Valu, expressed pride in partnering with Forset Hayah, highlighting Valu’s commitment to making a positive social impact. Ghada Mounib, Founder and Head of the Board of Trustees at Forset Hayah Foundation, expressed excitement about the partnership, emphasizing the importance of Valu’s financial technology in simplifying the donation process. Since its establishment in 2017, Valu has been a pioneer in the Egyptian fintech landscape, offering innovative financial solutions.

CAIRO – 14 May 2024: Egypt condemned Tuesday the terrorist attack carried out by the Islamic State (IS) against a military post in Iraq's Salaheldin governorate and that killed an officer and four soldiers. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli and his Iraqi counterpart Mohamed Shia' al-Sudani attended in June the signing of 11 MoUs in the fields of funding and providing technical support to SMEs; training of diplomats; training of public employees; tourism; technical cooperation between the trade ministries of both countries to help Iraq become WTO member; youth and sports; social safety; and, planning. Madbouli commended the endorsement of the Iraqi budget for the years 2023, 2024, and 2025, saying it reflects an ambitious reform programme that consists of measures and practical solutions to the delay in executing projects. The prime minister added that such step would have a positive impact on cooperation programmes with Egypt, including the implementation of reconstruction projects by Egyptian firms, which are ready to transfer their experience to Iraqi counterparts through partnerships.

CAIRO – 14 May 2024: Consultant to Health Minister for Population Affairs and Family Development Amr Hassan stated Tuesday that curbing high population growth in Egypt could be achieved by eliminating unintended pregnancies experienced by 20 percent of Egyptian women. The official pointed out that the current fertility rate in Egypt is 2.84, and that tackling the problem of unintended pregnancies may make the country reach the normal replacement rate that is 2.1. Quarter of the population lives in Greater Cairo comprising the governorates of Cairo, Giza, and Qalyoubeya. The most populous governorates in Delta are Cairo (10,303,000); Giza (9,581,000); Sharqia (7,965,000); Daqahleya (7,091,000); and Qalyoubeya (6,176,000). The birth rate fell gradually from 2.685 million in 2015 to 2.596 million in 2016; 2.557 million in 2017; 2.382 million in 2018; 2.304 million in 2019; 2.235 million in 2020; and 2.183 million in 2021.

Middle East leaders are expressing heightened concern over leadership attraction, development, retention, and succession compared to their global counterparts, according to the 2024 Heidrick & Struggles Middle East CEO and Board Survey. Despite the World Bank’s forecast of 2.7% economic growth for the Middle East and North Africa in 2024, regional leaders are primarily focused on economic (56%) and geopolitical (56%) uncertainties. However, a key differentiator for Middle East leaders lies in their emphasis on leadership issues. “In 2024, Middle East organizations face an increasingly complex external business environment, and regional intricacies that demand a localized approach,” said Richard Guest, partner in charge of Heidrick & Struggles’ Middle East and North Africa. Markus Wiesner, regional managing partner of Heidrick Consulting, emphasized the importance of culture and strategic planning in leadership development.

CAIRO - 13 May 2024: A total of 10 dead bodies were recovered from the Al-Salam neighborhood, east of the Palestinian city of Rafah, as a result of the Israeli bombing, said the Civil Defense in Gaza. The Israeli occupation army threatens to completely invade the Palestinian city of Rafah, which is the last refuge for the displaced in the stricken Strip. Since the beginning of the ground operation launched by the occupation forces on the Gaza Strip, last October 7, citizens are asked to evacuate from the north and center of the Strip, and to head to the south, claiming that it has “safe areas.”Thousands of martyrs and wounded have still not been recovered from under the rubble due to the continued bombing and the seriousness of the field conditions, in light of a stifling siege of the Gaza Strip and severe restrictions on the entry of fuel and urgent vital aid to alleviate the catastrophic humanitarian conditions.

File- An Egyptian soldier keeps watch at the closed Rafah border crossing, between southern Gaza Strip and Egypt November 6, 2014. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu MustafaCAIRO – 14 May 2024: Egyptian sovereign officials refute media reports alleging telephone discussions regarding the crisis of the Rafah border crossing between the Egyptian intelligence chief and the head of the Israeli Shin Bet. Israeli Walla news website claimed that the chief of the Israeli Shin Bet made a phone call with head of the Egyptian Intelligence Services Abbas Kamal to speak about finding a solution to the crisis of Rafah border crossing. Egypt has warned against the escalation of the ongoing Israeli military ground offensive in the Palestinian City of Rafah, especially after Israeli troops controlled over the Palestine side of the Rafah border crossing. Shoukry re-warned against the dire consequences of closing the Rafah crossing and continuing the Israeli wide-range attacks.

CAIRO – 13 May 2024: President Abdel Fattah al Sisi arrived on Monday at Dabaa Corridor to inaugurate the first phase of the harvest season of the “Future of Egypt” Project for Sustainable AgricultureThe “Future of Egypt” is considered the first venture, under the broader New Delta Project, to achieve self-sufficiency and export agricultural surplus. The project is also meant to reduce the bill of imports through securing hard currency and achieving the sustainable development goals. The ceremony started with a recitation of verses of the Holy Quran. Attending the ceremony are Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli, Defense Minister Mohamed Zaki and a number of ministers and senior state officials.

During his speech, Sisi said that the water Egypt receives does not increase, “so we cannot bear wasting it through any irrigation methods. He noted: “I can argue this with anyone, the private sector couldn't engage in a project of this size at a lower cost. And the effect of all the projects we built is showing positively day after another.” Sisi stressed. The “Future of Egypt” is considered the first venture, under the broader New Delta Project, to achieve self-sufficiency and export agricultural surplus. The project is also meant to reduce the bill of imports through securing hard currency and achieving the sustainable development goals.