Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry confirmed on Sunday that there are established mechanisms to address any breaches of the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel. Shoukry advocated for the immediate reopening of the Rafah crossing to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the encircled Palestinian populace. Slovenian Foreign Minister Fajon mirrored Shoukry’s sentiments, denouncing the employment of starvation as a method of warfare in Gaza and advocating for the establishment of humanitarian passages by Israel. The Slovenian Foreign Minister reiterated her nation’s plea for a truce and compliance with international law. She decried the recent Israeli offensives on Rafah and pressed for the recommencement of peace negotiations to avert further conflict exacerbation.

Egypt has declared its support for South Africa’s legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which seeks to address alleged violations by Israel of the Genocide Convention in the Gaza Strip. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry released a statement on Sunday, detailing that this move is a response to the escalating intensity and frequency of Israeli operations targeting Palestinian civilians in Gaza. The statement highlighted the systematic nature of these actions, including the direct targeting of non-combatants and the destruction of vital infrastructure. According to the statement, such Israeli actions have forced Palestinians to flee their homes, resulting in a severe humanitarian crisis and making living conditions in Gaza untenable. Egypt is urging Israel to fulfil its responsibilities as an occupying force and to adhere to the provisional measures set forth by the International Court of Justice.

At the beginning of the meeting, Madbouly pointed out the important role played by the IFC as a strategic advisor to the government, providing technical advice on the state ownership policy document adopted by the Egyptian government to increase the private sector’s contribution to economic activity. Pimenta, IFC Vice President for Africa, indicated the continuation of consultations with the Egyptian team responsible for the government offerings program, where many workshops are being held that include discussions on reaching specific mechanisms regarding the sectors agreed upon. He said that the Prime Minister’s talk about supporting the private sector in Egypt confirms beyond any doubt that the Egyptian government is moving forward with determination in this path. Meanwhile, Pimenta praised the support Egypt recently received from global financial and development institutions through the conclusion of several agreements, stressing that this contributes to significantly relieving pressure and giving greater confidence in the Egyptian economy. The meeting witnessed the presence of Rania Al-Mashat, Egypt’s Minister of International Cooperation, Cheikh Oumar Sylla, IFC Regional Director for North Africa, Stéphane Gimbert, IFC Regional Director for Egypt, Yemen, and Djibouti, and several IFC representatives.

The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) has released comprehensive guidelines for banks, detailing the required procedures for addressing customer complaints effectively. In its recent circular to all banks, the CBE emphasized the importance of adhering to these guidelines to safeguard customer rights. The CBE insists on banks providing adequate resources to the Customer Protection Unit and other relevant departments to ensure efficient complaint handling. In handling complaints, banks should evaluate them swiftly and equitably, adhere to the principle of good faith, and avoid requesting irrelevant documents or information. Finally, the CBE requires banks to issue a written or electronic response to customer complaints within a maximum of 15 days from receipt.

CAIRO – 12 May 2024: President Abdel Fatah El-Sisi is closely following - alongside a crisis task force - the developments in Gaza Strip instantly, and he instructed the intensification of efforts necessary to inhibit more escalation in the enclave, a high-profile source told Extra News Sunday. Also, an Egyptian high-profile source negated news circulated by Israeli media on a coordination between Egypt and Israel on Rafah Border Crossing, renewing the warning about the implications of escalation on humanitarian conditions in Gaza Strip. Egypt refused to coordinate with Israel on the delivery of humanitarian aid through the Rafah border crossing, amidst an unprecedented escalation by Israel, a high-level source revealed Saturday. The source emphasized Egypt's position, holding Israel accountable for the deteriorating situation in Gaza, and warned of the consequences of Israel's ongoing takeover of the Rafah crossing. As Egypt shares a border with Gaza through the city of Rafah, it strongly condemned the recent Israeli takeover of the Rafah border crossing from the Gaza side, which has blocked the main point of aid delivery.

CAIRO – 12 May 2024: Assistant to Foreign Minister for European Affairs Khaled Emara met with Special Representative of the Chinese Government on Eurasian Affairs Li Hui who was holding the third round of shuttle diplomacy on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, visiting Türkiye, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The two sides exchanged views on crises taking place in Europe, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. With regard to the Russia-Ukraine War, they conferred over its impact on international security and stability, and the necessity of achieving a political settlement through negotiations. In January, Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi held a visit to Egypt and met his counterpart Sameh Shokry to discuss the Gaza War and the security threats in the Red Sea issuing a joint statement on their vision on the resolution of those crises.

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly recently embarked on an inspection tour of various factories in 10th of Ramadan City. The tour began at the Sanipure factory, where the Prime Minister evaluated the operational processes and tackled issues directly. Founded in 2021 by a team of seasoned professionals in sanitary ware manufacturing, Sanipure is supported by Egyptian investors and stakeholders. Madbouly noted that Sanipure occupies a vast 80,000 square meter space in 10th of Ramadan City, representing an investment of around EGP 2.5bn. The Prime Minister was briefed on the furnace operations, preparation, and quality control measures.

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has welcomed the leader of the Indian Bohra Community, His Holiness Sultan Mufaddal Saifuddin. The assembly was attended by Abbas Kamel, the Director of the General Intelligence Service, and Mufaddal Mohammed, the Bohra Community’s representative in Egypt. The President’s spokesperson, Ahmed Fahmy, conveyed that President Al-Sisi expressed a warm welcome to Sultan Mufaddal Saifuddin. Sultan Saifuddin reciprocated with profound gratitude towards President Al-Sisi and extolled Egypt’s strides in national development. Furthermore, he applauded the government and President Al-Sisi for their dedication to fostering the ideals of unity and acceptance, thereby strengthening societal harmony and tranquillity.

On October 7, Hamas captured over 250 individuals from Israel and brought them to the Gaza Strip. Last week, Hamas approved a ceasefire proposal put forward by Egypt and Qatar, which included a prisoner exchange. The latest round of talks in Cairo, which involved mediators from Egypt, Qatar, the United States, Israel, and Hamas, concluded last week without reaching a deal. The key points of contention between Hamas and Israel persist, with Hamas insisting on a permanent cessation of hostilities, while Israel rejects this demand. The Israeli government instead seeks a period of truce that includes the release of its surviving hostages from Gaza, without signifying an end to the conflict with Hamas.

At present, the reliance of many African nations on imported fertilisers, particularly those not based on phosphates, leaves them vulnerable to international market fluctuations and pricing instability. Despite African nations currently producing around 30 million metric tons of mineral fertiliser annually, a substantial portion is exported beyond the continent’s borders. During the summit, the African leaders vowed to utilize the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to amplify intra-African fertiliser trade twofold by 2034. Chiumya underscored that while the AfCFTA and other supportive policies are instrumental in promoting fertiliser trade within Africa, the pressing matter of infrastructure remains. Moreover, there has been a marked increase in local mineral fertiliser production, fueled by private sector investments surpassing $15bn, as detailed in the declaration.

Egypt has provided roughly 80% of the total humanitarian aid delivered to Gaza so far, the country’s Minister of Supply and Internal Trade and Chairperson of the General Committee for Foreign Aid, Ali Moselhi, said. This comes as Egypt continues to ramp up its support for the Palestinian people amid the ongoing crisis in the Gaza Strip. The first of four aid planes arrived at El-Arish airport, marking the start of a new airlift coordinated by Egypt’s General Committee for Foreign Aid, in cooperation with Catholic Relief Services (CRS). “The General Committee for Foreign Aid will spare no effort to stand by our brothers in the Gaza Strip in light of the humanitarian situation they are going through,” Fathi affirmed. The committee is currently coordinating with relevant authorities to prepare for the eighth aid convoy to Gaza.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received Sultan Mufaddal Saif al-Din, Sultan of the Bohra community, an India-based subgroup of ShiismCAIRO – 11 May 2024: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi received Sultan Mufaddal Saif al-Din, Sultan of the Bohra community, an India-based subgroup of Shiism, at the Presidential Palace in Cairo on Saturday. The Sultan of the Bohra community was accompanied by his brother Prince Commander Jawhar Ezz al-Din, and his sons: Prince Jaafar al-Sadiq Imad al-Din, Prince Taha Najm al-Din, and Prince Hussein Burhan al-Din. The Sultan of Bohra affirmed his great appreciation for President Sisi and Egypt’s development efforts. On 7 August 2023, the Sultan of Bohra and his sons visited Egypt, where they met with President Sisi. The President awarded Sultan Mufaddal Saifuddin the Nile Sash, in recognition of his ongoing efforts in Egypt at the cultural, charitable and community levels.

Mass destruction caused by Israeli bombings on the Gaza Strip in Israel's genocide war on the strip as it killed more than 30,000 people- photo from Palestinian journalist. CAIRO – 11 May 2024: A high-level source said that Egypt told all concerned parties that Israel bears responsibility for the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip, Extra News reported. Egypt’s comments come after the failure of the recent round of indirect Cairo-host negotiations between the Hamas Movement and Israel to reach a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and a prisoner swap deal. The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza announced Saturday, that the death toll from the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip since October 7th has risen to nearly 35,000. In another development, the ministry reported the discovery of 80 bodies in 3 mass graves in the courtyards of the Al-Shifa Medical Complex and dozens of bodies inside the complex's departments.

Egypt Education Platform (EEP) recently held the fourth edition of its annual EEP Run – The Ultimate Race for Schools.The event took place at District 5, in collaboration with Marakez and Stamina Fitness. Members of Selah El Telmeez and Option Travel, also EEP entities, joined in the run. Egypt Education Platform emerged in 2019 as a transformative force in Egyptian education. EEP operates six verticals under different brand names in Egypt: GEMS International Schools, Hayah Schools, Prime National Schools, Trillium and Petals Preschools. It additionally invests in student transportation through its majority-owned Option Travel and educational content provision via Selah El Telmeez.

This year’s Hajj season, 1445 AH, will witness a first-of-its-kind experiment as the Kingdom plans to test flying taxis as part of modern transportation models during the pilgrimage. Minister of Transport Saleh Al-Jasser stated that the Kingdom will test flying taxis and drones among modern transportation models during this year’s Hajj season. Saudi Arabian Airlines previously contracted with the German company Lilium in October 2022 to supply 100 emission-free electric aircraft for use in the Saudi Arabian domestic airline network, according to a statement on Lilium’s website. In January, Saudi Arabian Airlines announced its readiness to use flying taxis as a new means of transportation during Hajj seasons. The flying taxis are planned to transport passengers between King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and hotels in Makkah.