The elections abroad are conducted over three days – Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, corresponding to December 3, 2, and 1. The electoral process is held outside the Arab Republic of Egypt in 137 embassies and consulates across 121 countries globally. The National Election Authority previously confirmed the successful trial run of the devices and software used in the electoral process. Specialized technical support teams within the authority are tasked with providing comprehensive technical assistance to Egyptian embassies and consulates abroad. The Executive Director of the National Election Authority and relevant experts within the authority held virtual meetings with ambassadors and consuls, who serve as heads of the subcommittees at Egyptian embassies and consulates abroad.

Egyptian expats in Doha, Qatar cast their votes on the second day of 2024 Presidential electionsCAIRO - 2 December 2023: The second day of voting process in the presidential elections kicked off abroad, where Egyptian expats flow to embassies and consulates in most of the world countries to express their will. An increased turnout was witnessed by the Egyptian Embassy in Doha, on the second day of Egyptians voting abroad in the 2024 Egyptian presidential elections, which continues until Sunday. Egyptian Voters in AustraliaEgyptians in Australia continue to flock to the headquarters of the subcommittees of diplomatic missions to cast their votes on the second consecutive day of the 2024 presidential elections. In Vietnam, Voters flocked for the second day to the Egyptians embassy to cast their votes in the elections for Egyptians abroad. The voting abroad is taking place over three days from 1-3 December in 121 countries from 9 AM to 9 PM every day.

The Palestinian death toll resulting from Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip has surpassed 100, hours after a seven-day ceasefire between the two sides expired on Friday morning, said the Palestinian Health Ministry. Ministry spokesperson Ashraf al-Qedra said in a press statement that “about 109 Palestinians, mostly women and children, were killed by the Israeli airstrikes in the Strip.”

Draughts have become an “unprecedented emergency” on a global scale and the massive impacts of human-induced droughts are “only starting to unfold,” found a two-year study newly released at the UN climate change conference ongoing in UAE’s Dubai. According to the “Global Drought Snapshot” report published by the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) at the outset of COP28 climate talks, the severe drought worldwide has claimed more lives, caused heavier economic loss, and affected more social sectors than any other disaster. The impacts are truly global. “We hope this publication serves as a wake-up call,” UNCCD quoted its Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw as saying on Thursday. He stressed the need for transformational change, warning that with droughts increasing in frequency and severity, reservoir levels and crop yields are declining and famine is spreading.

The Egyptian government announced on Thursday approximately 48,108 employees have been relocated to the New Administrative Capital so far. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said that he is following up with the head of the Central Agency for Organization and Administration on the transfer of employees to the New Administrative Capital. About 40,000 employees will be transferred to Egypt’s New Administrative Capital and provided with apartments, Cabinet spokesperson Nader Saad said back in 2021. Saad said that the move to the Administrative Capital represents a quantum leap, but reassured citizens, saying, “You will not have to go to the new administrative capital to receive government service,” indicating that many government services will be digitized as part of the move. Employees transferred to the capital will be evaluated through a comprehensive assessment of their skills in Arabic and English, personal skills and computers through international programs.

Egypt joins the international community in marking the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, which is celebrated on November 29 every year, in solidarity with the steadfast Palestinian people, and affirmation of the Palestinian cause as a living and present issue in international forums and the world conscience. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Wednesday that the International Day coincides this year with a painful reality, in which the Palestinian people are facing an unprecedented brutal aggression, in which humanity is slaughtered every day for more than 54 days. Egypt stressed that its position on the Palestinian issue has not and will not change and that it is committed to its responsibility towards the Palestinian issue as a genuine commitment, for which it is exerting every precious effort until the brotherly Palestinian people obtain their legitimate rights to establish their independent state. On this day, Egypt stressed that regional stability in the Middle East will only be achieved through a fair and comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian issue, based on the two-state solution and the relevant resolutions of international legitimacy. According to the UN, about 1.4 million people have been displaced from their homes in Gaza and the northern Gaza Strip, more than half of the Strip’s population, since the outbreak of the war.

They also met with Wang Yi, the Foreign Minister of China, who is the current president of the UN Security Council. The meeting was part of the efforts of the Ministerial Committee, which was formed by the decision of the Arab-Islamic summit, to end the war on Gaza. The meeting took place before the Security Council briefing session, which was convened by China at the ministerial level, to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip. They also expressed their categorical rejection of the displacement of the people of the Gaza Strip, whether inside or outside the strip or the creation of buffer zones in the north of the strip. He reviewed the cooperative efforts between Egypt and Qatar to extend and complete the temporary humanitarian truce agreement in the Gaza Strip.

The dollar price at the black market for currency speculation (the unofficial market) witnessed a significant decline by about five pounds during Thursday’s trading – the first time in a month. The sources added that the movements of the price of the dollar on the black market, whether rising or falling, are strongly affected by the size of the sudden demands for it. The higher the demand, the higher the price, or vice versa. Thus, the gap in the dollar exchange rate between the black market and the banks decreased to about 16 pounds, as it recorded in the banking sector around 31 pounds, a fixed rate, since last March. The price of the dollar rose against the pound by about 96 percent, after three waves of devaluation of the pound – bringing the dollar price from 15.76 pounds on March 20, 2022 to about 30.94 pounds now, which has remained stable.

Egypt - Gold Era, a company that trades in gold and silver, plans to open a new factory in Cairo for producing gold bullion and jewellery, with an investment of about EGP 1bn, as part of its expansion plan in 2024. Luca added that Gold Era has several branches in Egypt, as well as two branches in the UAE and one branch in Saudi Arabia. Luca explained that Gold Era produced gold bullion and pounds in different weights and sizes, suitable for all investment portfolios, ranging from a quarter of a gram to a kilo. The director of Gold Era Egypt branches, Osama Zaraay, said that the company plans to open two new branches in Tanta and Mansoura next month, bringing the total number of its branches in Egypt to 10. The company works in the field of manufacturing, importing, and exporting gold bullion, gold coins, and gold jewellery.

The Israeli occupation army also reported that two of its soldiers were injured in an explosive device explosion in northern Gaza. “The failure of fuel to enter Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip threatens a major disaster. Al-Thawabta added that the truce revealed the massive extent of destruction, especially in Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip. For his part, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Health in Gaza, Ashraf Al-Qudra, said that only 3 hospitals are operating in the northern Gaza Strip, indicating that hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip are unable to deal with urgent needs. We demand pressure on the occupation to bring medical aid into the northern Gaza Strip.

The manufacturing and extractive industries index (excluding crude oil and petroleum products) declined by 3.86% in September 2023, compared to the previous month, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS). The manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations increased by 3.07%, reaching 118.28 in September 2023, up from 114.76 in August 2023. The manufacture of electrical equipment decreased by 12.16%, reaching 112.51 in September 2023, down from 128.09 in August 2023. The manufacture of transport equipment decreased by 25.63%, reaching 87.68 in September 2023, down from 117.90 in August 2023. The report also updated the index methodology using the base year 2012/2013, and applied the monthly index since January 2020.

Egypt - Arab Finance Information Technology, in collaboration with Dahab Masr, AF Securities, and the Opetagolio artificial intelligence platform, today launched its electronic application, GuROW, which specializes in investing through artificial intelligence technologies. The goal of the GuROW application is to empower a new generation of young investors by providing them with access to a wide range of investment tools and developing the Egyptian investment market using the latest technological advancements. Fady Kamel, CEO of Dahab Masr, highlighted the significance of this partnership, calling it a crucial step in a long-standing path of cooperation between the two companies. Shehab Marzban, a member of the Board of Directors and an investor in Opetagolio, emphasized that Arab Finance, through the “GuROW” application, provides a distinguished platform to leverage the power of Opetagolio’s services. This enables a broad segment of individuals to access various savings and investment options through FRA-licensed companies.

Cairo – November 28, 2023: Minister of Finance, Mohamed Maait, shared that the new value-added tax (VAT) in foreign currency does not apply to imports, mitigating some importers’ concerns over the latest amendments to the tax law. Last week, the Ministry of Finance announced new amendments to the Unified Tax Law, introducing a new foreign currency VAT to be collected for goods and services purchased/invoiced using currencies other than the Egyptian pound. Businesses have the opportunity to settle their VAT payments in the local currency. The new amendment is part of the government’s efforts to curb the foreign currency shortage. The Egyptian government has implemented several initiatives and incentives to combat the shortage by attracting foreign investments and hard currency.

CAIRO – 28 November 2023: Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad al-Thani received Tuesday a handwritten message from President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi and that was delivered by the Egyptian ambassador to Doha to the Qatari foreign minister. A well-informed source told Al Qahera News that officials from Egypt, Qatar, the United States, and Israel would meet Tuesday in Doha to discuss the extension of the current temporary ceasefire in Gaza. The channel later reported that the chief of Egypt's General Intelligence Directorate had arrived in the Qatari capital to meet with the chiefs of CIA and Mossad. It is noted that the captives released by both sides are women and children aged below 19. On the other hand, Israel has been detaining around 5,000 Palestinians.

CAIRO – 28 November 2023: A well-informed source told Al Qahera News that officials from Egypt, Qatar, the United States, and Israel would meet Tuesday in Doha to discuss the extension of the current temporary ceasefire in Gaza. The channel later reported that the chief of Egypt's General Intelligence Directorate had arrived in the Qatari capital to meet with the chiefs of CIA and Mossad. The ceasefire began on Friday and was due to last for four days. It is noted that the captives released by both sides are women and children aged below 19. On the other hand, Israel has been detaining around 5,000 Palestinians.