Minister of Housing, Utilities, and New Urban Communities, Assem El-Gazzar, announced that New Beni Suef city recently hosted a delegation of Chinese investors. The purpose of their visit was to discuss potential Chinese investments in the city, as part of a broader interest in foreign investment. The goal is to overcome obstacles faced by investors and attract investments to new cities, thereby promoting overall development in the country. Ahmed Abdel Gaber, Head of the New Beni Suef City Development Authority, welcomed the Chinese delegation from Changyang. During their visit, they met with ..read more

Egypt’s Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Hala El-Said, participated virtually in a high-level session at the United Nations Economic and Social Council’s Financing for Development Forum. The session’s theme was “Enhancing Inclusive Dialogue on the Road to the Fourth Global Conference on Financing for Development.” El-Said emphasized the session’s focus on financing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through integrated national financing frameworks. She highlighted its importance as a tool for identifying challenges and opportunities in achieving the SDGs. The minister point ..read more

Rahmi emphasized MSMEDA’s commitment to providing both financial and technical assistance to the small and micro-enterprise sectors in Sinai and the Canal cities. The goal is to enhance employment rates and create more job prospects. During the same period, MSMEDA facilitated tens of thousands of technical and non-financial services. These included granting 11,000 temporary licenses for new projects, 10,000 final licenses for new ventures, and approximately 1,500 licenses to formalize projects operating in the informal sector. The agency also issued 790 tax cards, 250 commercial records, 2,300 ..read more

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly is set to depart for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday evening to represent President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi at the World Economic Forum Special Meeting on Global Collaboration, Growth and Energy for Development. The meeting will be held on April 28 and 29. The Prime Minister’s schedule includes attending forum sessions and several meetings and engagements. The special meeting, themed “International Cooperation, Growth and Energy for Development,” is expected to attract over 1,000 participants, including heads of state, senior officials, international exp ..read more

Soha Gendi, the Minister of State for Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates’ Affairs, has announced that the tax-free car import initiative for Egyptians abroad will conclude on Sunday, 28 April. The decision to extend the initiative previously was in response to requests from Egyptians living abroad. These requests were forwarded to the political leadership and subsequently approved, as per Law No. 174 of 2023. Minister Gendi emphasized that individuals residing in countries facing conflicts or currency transfer restrictions, or those where opening dollar accounts is challenging, must register ..read more

Following the availability of COVID-19 vaccines, there was a noticeable surge in negativity surrounding vaccines on Twitter. Researchers at the ESCMID Global Congress (formerly ECCMID) in Barcelona, Spain (held from 27th to 30th April) made this observation. The analysis revealed that spikes in negative tweets coincided with announcements from governments and healthcare authorities regarding vaccination. To address this issue, the researchers propose adopting a fresh approach to discussing vaccines—one that avoids using the term “anti-vaxxers.” Dr. Guillermo Rodriguez-Nava, lead researcher fro ..read more

The IMF said that the first and second reviews were delayed due to policy slippages and a return to a fixed exchange rate in February 2023, which undermined the credibility of Egypt’s announced shift to a flexible regime. This reversal led to foreign exchange shortages, inflationary pressures, and a constrained import market, hampering growth. Moreover, the report indicated that delays in adjusting monetary policy to rising inflation exacerbated the situation, while continued heavy investment in national projects further strained the economy. External pressures from the conflict in Gaza and di ..read more

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi met with the heads of Arab councils and parliaments during the Sixth Conference of the Arab Parliament held in Cairo. The meeting, which took place on Saturday, included the presence of Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and Adel bin Abdul Rahman Al-Asoumi, President of the Arab Parliament. Hanafi Gebali, the Speaker of Egypt’s House of Representatives, was also in attendance. The official spokesperson for the Presidency of the Republic emphasized the significant responsibility entrusted to Arab councils and ..read more

April 23rd marks National Choro Day in Brazil, a celebration of the country’s first urban musical genre and a tribute to Pixinguinha, a towering figure in its history. Choro, born in the 19th century, blends African and European influences into a unique and captivating sound. Pixinguinha, whose real name was Alfredo da Rocha Viana Filho, left an indelible mark on the genre. His compositions, like the iconic “Carinhoso” and “1×0,” exemplify choro’s signature style, characterized by melodic turns and distinct rhythms. Pixinguinha’s legacy continues to inspire. Musicians across Brazil keep the ch ..read more

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has announced that the main event in the relationship between Russia and China in 2024 will be Russian President Vladimir Putin’s state visit to China. The announcement came at a meeting of the Council of Heads of Subjects of the Russian Federation under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  Lavrov emphasised that the visit coincides with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, as reported on the ministry’s official website, TV BRICS reported. “The main event of bilateral relations this year will be the stat ..read more