🇪🇬EgyptNorth Africa
Egypt and Saudi Arabia discuss enhanced investment and trade cooperation
via Egypt Today1 min read
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly met with Saleh bin Eid Al-Husseini, Saudi Arabia's Ambassador to Cairo, to explore deeper economic and investment cooperation between the two nations. Discussions focused on expanding bilateral trade, identifying investment opportunities in Egypt's high-potential sectors, and reviewing ongoing joint projects. Both parties emphasized the importance of removing obstacles for investors and improving the business climate, especially as Egypt continues its economic and structural reforms. The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of their commitment to ongoing coordination and strengthening cooperation across various sectors, highlighting their strong strategic partnership and shared economic interests.
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 10 countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Egypt Today.
Egypt's Cabinet has approved a draft law addressing personal status matters for Christian families, following directives from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to expedite family law bills for both Christians and Muslims. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly stated that three draft laws, including a family support fund bill, will be sent to parliament weekly. The Minister of Justice, Mahmoud El-Sherif, confirmed the law applies to Christian Egyptians from various denominations, including Coptic Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, Evangelical, and Catholic communities, incorporating specific provisions for each. The bill covers engagement, marriage, divorce, annulment, child custody, guardianship, lineage, missing persons, and inheritance. El-Sherif highlighted that the draft reflects full consensus among Christian denominations, resulting from 35 meetings of a legal committee and broad societal dialogue. The draft was also reviewed by the Supreme Judicial Council, the National Council for Human Rights, the National Council for Women, and the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood. The law consolidates fragmented regulations into a single framework and aligns with constitutional principles of equality, ensuring uniform provisions for non-doctrinal matters such as marital housing, custody, and visitation, mirroring provisions in the draft personal status law for Muslims.
Egypt's index for manufacturing and extractive industries, excluding crude oil and petroleum products, increased by 1.5 percent in February 2026, reaching 120.69 from 118.88 in January 2026. This data was released by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics CAPMAS. The pharmaceutical, chemical, and medicinal products industry index saw a 9.05 percent rise, climbing to 140.48 in February 2026 from 128.82 in January 2026, attributed to market dynamics and regulatory policies from the Egyptian Drug Authority. The motor vehicles industry index also experienced a significant increase of 29.27 percent, reaching 459.74 in February 2026 compared to 355.65 in January 2026, driven by supply and demand conditions. Conversely, the textiles industry index declined by 7.39 percent, falling to 149.59 in February 2026 from 161.52 in January 2026, largely due to reduced working shifts during Ramadan. The index for printing and reproduction of recorded media also dropped by 14.15 percent, from 124.18 in January 2026 to 106.61 in February 2026, primarily due to the completion of contracts related to the Ministry of Education.
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has instructed the Ministry of Housing to appoint a consulting firm to develop an integrated plan for the North Sinai coastal zone. This initiative aims to attract tourism, agricultural, and industrial investments. During a government meeting, Madbouly highlighted North Sinai's strategic importance and its significant, untapped investment potential, especially in tourism. Concurrently, the Prime Minister reviewed his government statement to Parliament, which addressed the ongoing regional crisis, its international and domestic impacts, and immediate mitigation efforts. He also detailed the government's response strategies and measures taken in response to the complex regional and global environment, noting that the economic effects of the crisis are expected to persist through the end of the current year, even if the crisis itself subsides.
Egypt's Cabinet has approved a draft presidential decree to pardon a number of convicted prisoners, allowing for the remainder of their sentences to be commuted. This decision comes in anticipation of Eid Al-Adha, an Islamic holiday observed on the 10th day of Dhu Al-Hijjah, which is expected to occur in the last week of May this year.