Egypt reaches agreement with IMF to receive US$5.2 billion
Egypt has reached a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a 12 month US$5.2 billion Stand-By Arrangement (SBA), the IMF announced in a Friday evening statement. Following support under the IMF’s Rapid Financing Facility (RFI), Egypt’s agreement aims to alleviate the pandemic’s economic impacts while also maintaining macroeconomic stability, strengthen the social safety net and support reforms encouraging private-sector-led growth and job creation, the statement explained. The IMF stated that financing from Egypt’s international partners is a crucial step to support key reform objectives and ensure the reform’s success. This agreement comes in response to a request from Egyptian authorities followed by an IMF mission led by Uma Ramakrishnan, the statement added. “I am pleased to announce that the Egyptian authorities and the IMF team have reached staff-level agreement on economic policies that could be supported by a 12-month SBA,” Ramakrishnan said in the statement.
Source:Egypt Independent
June 06, 2020 16:30 UTC
President Sisi announces peace initiative to end conflict in Libya
* The initiative also aims to ensure a fair representation of all three regions of Libya in forming a presidential council, which will be elected by the Libyan people under the supervision of the United Nations for the first time in the country’s history. * The Presidential Council shall take its decisions by a majority, except for sovereign decisions related to the armed forces, which shall be decided upon in the presence of the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. * Each region should form an electoral college whose members are chosen from the House of Representatives and the state alongside tribal elders and notables, taking into account the representation of women and youth. * The United Nations must supervise the electoral complexes in general to ensure the integrity of the electoral process for selecting candidates for the Presidential Council. * The necessary executive measures must be taken to unify all economic and monetary institutions in eastern, southern and western Libya, and implement structural economic reforms, in addition to preventing Libyan funds from reaching the militias.
Source:Egypt Today
June 06, 2020 16:18 UTC
Over 20K stranded Egyptians returned home since beginning of COVID-19 pandemic
Egypt’s Minister of Immigration Nabila Makram conducts an interview with Egypt Today in an interview on Thursday, March 15, 2018, at the Magazine headquarters in Giza- Egypt Today/Karim Abdel AzizCAIRO – 6 June 2020: More than 20,000 stranded Egyptians abroad returned back home since the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, said Minister of Immigration Nabila Makram.“There are proposals to form a committee to study the qualifications of Egyptians returning from abroad to help them find jobs,” Makram added.She further explained that there are planes that will take off to return more stranded Egyptians from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Cyprus, and Europe during the coming period.Makram continued saying that the newly-formed committee aims to introduce the returnees to the medium and small sized projects.She also praised the efforts exerted by the “Let’s support eachother” Initiative that aimed to help stranded Egyptians in different countries amid precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the pandemic.
Source:Egypt Today
June 06, 2020 15:00 UTC
Egypt's PM reviews reports on COVID-19 repercussions on local, int'l energy market
FILE: Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli Moustafa MadbouliCAIRO – 6 June 2020: Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli reviewed two reports issued by the Cabinet's Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC) on the repercussions of the novel coronavirus on the local and global energy market.The reports include 18 topics based on analyses published by the International Energy Agency, The Conversation, the Energy World, the World Economic Forum, McKinsey & Company and Bloomberg, among others on the most significant procedures and efforts exerted by the government over the past 100 days to counter the novel coronavirus outbreak.IDSC Head Osama el Gohari said on Saturday that one of the two reports touch upon the repercussions of the Covid-19 on the oil and natural gas sectors, while the other report tackled the impacts of the global oil crisis on the Egyptian energy market.Madbouli has said the government exerts great efforts to save lives of citizens, considering citizens' health a top priority.He stressed that the government works on improving life standards of citizens in light of the adoption of economic and social reform programs to promote the national economy.The government also worked on reducing inflation rates and financial deficit and promoting the growth rates and the value of local currency to attract more investments, in addition to enhancing the quality of medical services nationwide prior to the Covid-19 spread, the premier added.The report touched upon the government's economic and social procedures taken to counter the pandemic.The government's efforts to combat the coronavirus outbreak also included imposing lockdown nationwide, among others, the report said.
Source:Egypt Today
June 06, 2020 14:48 UTC
Saving certificates of NBE, BM garner LE 170bn
Banque Misr - Creative CommonsCAIRO, June 6 (MENA) - The new saving certificates issued by the National Bank of Egypt (NBE) and Banque Misr (BM) of 15-percent monthly return garnered more than 170 billion pounds since issuance two months ago, the two banks said on Saturday.Mohamed el Atrebi, the Board Chairman of Banque Misr, told MENA that the bank sold certificates worth 49 billion pounds by the end of the previous week.Meanwhile, a well-place source with the NBE, said the bank sold 122-billion-pound worth of certificates.The certificates were sold online or through the mobile banking application.The two banks issued these certificates as part of measures to ease the economic repercussions of coronavirus outbreak.
Source:Egypt Today
June 06, 2020 14:37 UTC
Coronavirus plasma therapy trials are a ‘success’: Egypt’s Health Minister
Egypt’s therapy trial for injecting coronavirus patients with plasma taken from recovered cases has been a success, announced Minister of Health and Population Hala Zayed on Friday. The trial was applied to several critical cases in hospitals belonging under the Health Ministry, she added. Megahed said that plasma from recovered patients could be injected to up to two seriously ill patients. National blood transfusion centers communicate with recovered cases through support teams across the country, with dates set for the donors to give out their plasma, he added. Egypt on Friday confirmed 1,348 new coronavirus cases, bringing the country’s number of confirmed total cases so far to 31,115.
Source:Egypt Independent
June 06, 2020 12:22 UTC
Egypt’s government ready to help returnees find employment
Egypt’s government is examining the economic and living situation of stranded citizen returnees in order to help them readjust following the abrupt disruptions brought on by the coronavirus outbreak, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said Friday. He explained that the government is studying their qualifications, jobs and areas of expertise based upon the information they registered while in quarantine to help them find suitable work. She said that this committee would discuss ways to help returnees invest their savings in appropriate small projects or in banks, and invest their energies and expertise in work fields. Egypt on Friday confirmed 1,348 new coronavirus cases, bringing the country’s number of confirmed total cases so far to 31,115. The total number of COVID-19 deaths has now reached 1,166 nationwide, after announcing 40 deaths.
Source:Egypt Independent
June 06, 2020 10:46 UTC
Pickford trusts Everton's ability to win Merseyside derby
Britain Soccer Football - Sunderland v West Bromwich Albion - Premier League - The Stadium of Light - 1/10/16 Sunderland's Jordan Pickford celebrates after Patrick van Aanholt scores their first goal Reuters / Russell Cheyne LivepicCAIRO_6 June 2020: Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford backs his team to defeat Premier League leaders, Liverpool, when they meet on Sunday 21 June.The Premier League returns back to action on Wednesday 16 June with two postponed games while the fixture 29 is scheduled on 19, 20, 21 and 22 June. "We want to win every game we play and any sort of derby match is massive for the fans and for players,” Pickford said.Everton suffered a 5_2 loss at Anfield in December and they want to turn the table on their rivals, who are two victories away from winning the title.Pickford added "We want to show how good we can be and we have an opportunity to beat them. We know they are a good side, they are top of the league. We just want to do our best and try to beat them. "Liverpool are leading the league table with 82 points after playing 29 games and they are 25 points ahead of the second-placed and the defending champions Manchester City who gained 67 points from 28 games.
Source:Egypt Today
June 06, 2020 10:41 UTC
It was enjoyable to play alongside MSN, Rakitic
Barcelona's Ivan Rakitic celebrates a goal. REUTERS/Albert GeaCAIRO_6 June 2020: Barcelona midfielder, Ivan Rakitic, reveals that he enjoyed playing alongside Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar Jr, who shared the attacking line of the team between 2014 to 2017. Rakitic told Marca.Rakitic arrived to the Catalans in 2014 summer from Sevilla and he was accompanied by many newcomers including, Luis Suarez and Marc Andre ter Stegen.The Croatian continued "We were very strong and got stronger with time. We said that we didn't want the season to end because we wanted to keep playing. "During Rakitic' debut season, the club had a remarkable success under their new manager, Luis Enrique, who led them to win the treble.
Source:Egypt Today
June 06, 2020 10:30 UTC
NCW issues 3rd edition of women policy tracker amid COVID-19
The President of the National Council for Women Maya Morsy – Egypt TodayCAIRO - 6 June 2020: The National Council for Women has issued the third edition of its women policy tracker on responsive policies & programs amid the new COVID-19 Pandemic.A Saturday statement said that the National Council for Women "continues its efforts in monitoring the policies & measures considerate to the needs of women which were taken by the Egyptian government as part of the efforts to contain the spread of the current covid-19," as the council announced the issuance of the third edition of the women policy tracker which take into account the needs of women throughout the past period and since the crisis began.Dr. Maya Morsy, President of the National Council for Women, said that this report comes as a third edition of the two reports that were issued by the Council in the last two months with the aim of: Monitoring all policies & procedures taken by the Government that are responsive to the needs of Egyptian women; designing an easier tool that can be used as reference by decision makers for more collaborative vision on means of moving forward; documenting the coordinated efforts of the government; & reflecting on those policies.Dr. Morsy also indicated that the third edition of the report monitored 80 policies/measures/procedures taken by the Government to contain and control the spread of the current covid-19; that are responsive to Egyptian women needs since the covid-19 hit Egypt until the 6th of June 2020.It is worth mentioning that Mrs. Phumzile Mlambo Ngcuka, Under Secretary General and Executive Director of UN-Women, had previously praised the Women policy tracker on Responsive policies and Programs During COVID-19 Pandemic, & commended the leadership of the Egyptian government on ensuring that its responses has a gender lens, and the tracker serves as an opportunity to ensure that no policy is inconsiderate to women’s needs.
Source:Egypt Today
June 06, 2020 10:30 UTC
Arab Parliamentary Union: Whole world condemns Israeli plans aiming at controlling all of Palestine
FILE – An Arab Parliament sessionAMMAN, June 5 (MENA) – President of the Arab Parliamentary Union Atef Al-Tarawneh said on Friday that the whole world knows and condemns the Israeli plans aiming at controlling all of the Palestinian territories.In a press release on the occasion of the 53rd anniversary of the 1967 War, Tarawneh said that the Israeli-US steps of the Judaization of Palestine via building more settlements within deteriorating international economic and health situations.He also urged the international community to give priority to the two-state solution to solve the Palestinian cause, adding that he totally supports the Palestinian cause and people in their just cause against the occupation.
Source:Egypt Today
June 06, 2020 08:26 UTC
Egyptian top prosecutor refers doctor, father to criminal court for circumcising 3 girls
FILE - The procedure of FGM - ReutersCAIRO – 6 June 2020: As the Egyptian state, since 2014, has taken arguably significant steps to empower women, it has focused on combating female circumcision (mutilation) due to probable health risks. Such practice has been criminalized by the state in 2016.On Thursday, the state-run National Committee on the Eradication of Female Genital Mutilation has thanked Hamada Al-Sawi, the northeastern African country’s attorney general, for referring a doctor and a father of three girls in Upper Egypt’s Sohag governorate to the criminal court for forcing each of these three children, 11, 9 and 8, to undergo circumcision.According to the statement issued by the committee, which is jointly headed by the National Council for Women and the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood, the father has deceived his children and brought the doctor under the pretext of inoculating them against coronavirus.The three girls were anesthetized after the doctor gave them a certain drug. They woke up to find themselves tied and felt pain in their genital organs, an official statement earlier said.The mother of the three girls have contacted the phone number 16000, the child rescue line related to the Childhood and Motherhood Council, Sahar Al-Sonbaty, the secretary general of the council said.The mother has been divorced.Maya Morsy, the president of the National Council for Women said the attorney general’s decision reflects the state’s keenness to eradicate such “crime.” Morsy also hailed the General Prosecution’s “painstaking efforts” and “decisive, fair and transparent” decisions.Although Egypt has outlawed female circumcision in 2008 and even criminalized it in 2016, toughening the penalty to up to seven years for doctors who are proven guilty with conducting this practice, the practice did not stop, especially in Upper Egypt, as female circumcision there is rather tied to traditions than religion.Circumcision was outlawed after Budour Shaker, a 11-year-old girl in Upper Egypt’s Minya, died of an excessive dose of anesthesia while being circumcised at a private clinic.In this regard, the National Committee on the Eradication of Female Genital Mutilation has urged legislating authorities, in its Thursday statement, to amend the legal article on female circumcision so that to fill the gaps and prevent and circumvention of law.In February, the attorney general also referred a doctor and two others to the criminal court after a 12-year old girl died undergoing circumcision in Upper Egypt’s Assiut.Four people, including a parent, an uncle and a retired physician, were imprisoned four days pending investigation in January following the incident. The initial investigations revealed that parent and the uncle went to a gynecologist for FGM. However, after the retired doctor carried out the FGM operation, the girl suffered from complications led to her death.The General Prosecution urged doctors to fulfill their educational role by correcting the society’s misconceptions concerning circumcision, including get people acquainted with the consequent harm and pain of such practice to women.The Public Prosecution in a statement called on everybody to cooperate to eliminate such phenomenon and not to cover such “crime” up.“The Public Prosecution also appeals to the legislator to reconsider the penalty stipulated for the perpetrator of a circumcision crime if he is a doctor,” the statement added.Egypt’s Grand Mufti, the government’s official arbiter of Islamic law, after Budoor died, decreed that female genital cutting was forbidden by Islam, in his strongest statement against the practice.
Source:Egypt Today
June 05, 2020 22:52 UTC
IMF reaches staff-level agreement with Egypt on $5.2 B loan
International Monetary Fund (IMF) - REUTERSCAIRO, 5 June 2020: The International Monetary Fund announced, Friday reaching a Staff-Level agreement on a 12-Month $5.2 Billion Stand-By loan arrangement.“Following support under the IMF’s Rapid Financing Facility (RFI)—aims to alleviate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, helping maintain macroeconomic stability, strengthen the social safety net, and support reforms to spur private-sector-led growth and job creation.” IMF stated in a statement.It was added that “in response to a request from the Egyptian authorities, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission led by Ms. Uma Ramakrishnan held virtual meetings from May 19 to June 5, 2020 with the Egyptian authorities to discuss IMF financial support for the authorities’ policy plans to ensure macroeconomic stability and a strong economic recovery.At the end of the virtual discussions, Ramakrishnan issued the following statement:“I am pleased to announce that the Egyptian authorities and the IMF team have reached staff-level agreement on economic policies that could be supported by a 12-month Stand-By Arrangement (SBA). The SBA, with requested access of SDR 3.8 billion (equivalent to around US$5.2 billion), supports the authorities’ efforts to maintain macroeconomic stability amid the COVID-19 shock while continuing to advance key structural reforms. This will safeguard the gains achieved by Egypt over the past three years and put the country on strong footing for sustained recovery as well as higher and more inclusive growth and job creation over the medium term. The SBA will also aim to support health and social spending, improve fiscal transparency, and advance further reforms to spur private-sector-led growth and job creation. The arrangement is also expected to catalyze additional bilateral and multilateral financial support.“This agreement is subject to approval by the IMF’s Executive Board, which is expected to consider Egypt’s request in the coming weeks.”Earlier on May Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) Ramy Abu El Naga said that there are talks with the International Monetary Fund on a second package of financial support.He added that Egypt's foreign exchange reserves are sufficient to meet import needs for a period of 7 months, which is a higher rate than international averages.Abul-Naga pointed out in an interview with "Al-Arabiya" to the $ 2.8 billion rapid financing package for Egypt from the International Monetary Fund, emphasizing Egypt's ability to knock on the gates of financing institutions to boost these reserves in case future needs arise.
Source:Egypt Today
June 05, 2020 20:15 UTC
Turkey-backed Tripoli militias seize another town
A member of the Libyan National Army fires a weapon during clashes with Islamist militants in Khreibish district in Benghazi, Libya, November 10, 2017 - REUTERS/Esam Omran Al-FetoriTRIPOLI, June 5 (MENA) – The Libyan National Army (LNA) withdrew from Tarhouna after facing intense Turkish bombardment, LNA spokesman Ahmed al-Mosmari said at a press conference on Friday.He framed the retreat as a strategic decision to keep heavy fighting outside the city's populated civilian districts. He also would not declare the end of Hifter's assault, vowing, "the battles are not finished, they will continue," ABC News reported.The retaking of Tarhouna followed other front-line successes of the militias allied with the Tripoli government. On Thursday, they said they regained control of all of Tripoli's entrance and exit points, and the day before, they said they took back the Tripoli airport.Turkey has boosted its support for the Tripoli-allied militias in recent months, sending drones and other military hardware, along with thousands of Syrian mercenaries, many of them with links to militant groups. This has enabled the Tripoli forces to take back almost all the towns and territories around the Libyan capital that the LNA side had taken previously.Forces allied with the Tripoli government said Friday they have retaken another key western town from rivals behind a year-long offensive on Tripoli.
Source:Egypt Today
June 05, 2020 19:18 UTC
Egypt reports 1,348 new coronavirus cases, 40 deaths
Health Minister Hala Zayed checks precautionary measures as she receives Egyptians who returned from China’s city of Wuhan – Courtesy of the Health MinistryCAIRO, 5 June 2020: Egypt recorded 1,348 new coronavirus, COVID-19 cases, Friday, upping the total number of confirmed cases to 31,115.The Health Ministry spokesman Khaled Megahed added in his daily briefing that 40 patients have died from the virus over the past 24 hours, raising the death toll to 1,166.As many as 402 patients were discharged from isolation hospitals after receiving necessary medical care, taking the number of recovered cases to 8,158 so far, the spokesman said.Also, the number of coronavirus patients who had now been retested for the virus and had received negative results has reached 9,216, he addedEgyptian Health Minister Hala Zayed announced earlier on Friday, that the convalescent plasma transfusion experiment for patients with critical coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms has shown successful results.The plasma of some people who recovered from coronavirus has been injected into some patients who have shown critical symptoms, Zayed said, adding that plasma has also been provided to two hospitals.The experiment to inject convalescent plasma has contributed to reducing the need for ventilators and increasing the number of recoveries, Zayed said.She called on recovered people to donate plasma after 14 days from recovery, by visiting one of five blood donation centers allocated for such purpose, including one in Giza, in Greater Cairo and four in Alexandria and Tanta, in the northern part of the country, and Minya and Luxor in Upper Egypt.
Source:Egypt Today
June 05, 2020 18:33 UTC