[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Egypt and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Egypt Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week's roundup to egypt@jadaliyya.com by Sunday night of every week.]
Political rights
13 new faces join Madbuly Cabinet, media prohibits ‘negative’ coverage of certain outgoing ministers
On Sunday, thirteen new faces were sworn into the ministerial line-up in a move that President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said was intended “to develop the government performance in some important files at both the domestic and foreign level.”
Opposition politician departs Egypt in face of security pressure
Ahmed Tantawi, former Karama Party head and one of the most vocal critics of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in the months since a national dialogue was announced, left the country in recent weeks due to security pressure, according to three members of the Karama Party.
Following the July death of a young man held in police custody in Alexandria, claimed by a rights organization to be the result of his subjection to torture, investigating authorities issued an official statement last week to absolve the police force of any responsibility in the case.
Egyptian authorities release human rights lawyer Mohamed Ramadan pending investigation
A human rights lawyer and a leading member of the Socialist Alliance Party in Alexandria, Ramadan was arrested in December 2018 on charges related to spreading false news, joining an illegal group and inciting protests against the government, similar to the yellow vest protests in France during that time.
Egyptian security source denies Brotherhood claims on jail conditions
The source said these claims "contradict the reports issued by the National Council for Human Rights, the parliamentary human rights committees and several national organizations concerned with human rights."
Over 700 prisoners released since call for National Dialogue: Coordinator
More than 700 prisoners have been released by the prosecution office or given a presidential pardon since President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi called for the National Dialogue in April, Dialogue Coordinator Diaa Rashwan said on Friday.
President Sisi pardons political activist Hisham Fouad and six others
Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has ordered on Friday a presidential pardon for a number of political activists who had received final jail sentences in various cases.
Intelligence-owned media group moves to regulate livestreaming after price hike coverage
An internal directive in mid-July put a temporary ban on all live-streamed content on the social media channels of news platforms run by the intelligence-owned media company United Media Services, according to a source from the company who spoke to Mada Masr on condition of anonymity
National Dialogue’s Board of Trustees discusses final draft of regulations
The Board of Trustees of the Egyptian National Dialogue discussed on Wednesday the final draft of Article (18) of the regulations governing the Board and sub-committees. This came during a meeting held at the headquarters of the National Training Academy.
The continued blocking of Al-Manassa’s and dozens of news websites in Egypt must stop
The undersigned civil society organizations condemn the blocking by the Egyptian authorities of three links to access the Al-Manassa website within approximately seventy-two hours, starting from Thursday, 14 July. The blocking occurs as part of a series of continued restrictions on the website, which is one of the few independent news sites operating from inside Egypt. The undersigned organizations call on the authorities to lift the blocking of Al-Manassa, stop its repeated targeting, and bring to an end the censorship imposed on other news websites.
Foreign Policy
Egypt, China discuss major topics ahead of COP27 conference
Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry discussed in a video call with China's chief climate negotiator Xie Zhenhua on Thursday major topics to be tackled in the upcoming UN Climate Conference (COP27) in Egypt, the Egyptian foreign ministry announced.
What are Egypt’s remaining options as Ethiopia continues unilateral GERD filling?
Ethiopia has recently announced it would start the third-phase filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam's (GERD) seventy-four-billion-cubic-metre reservoir during the current flood season – which lasts until September – without Egypt and Sudan’ consent, again.
Sisi discusses latest developments concerning Palestine with Qatar Emir Tamim
Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed on Tuesday with the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani the latest regional developments especially the Israeli aggression in the Palestinian Gaza Strip and the Egyptian-brokered ceasefire.
Egypt Defence Minister, Burkinabe counterpart sign military cooperation protocol
Egypt’s Defence Minister Mohamed Zaki signed with his Burkinabe counterpart, Aimé Barthélemy Simporé, a cooperation protocol covering the "most important areas of cooperation that the armed forces of the two countries seek to strengthen in the next stage," a statement by the Egyptian Military Spokesman Gharib Abdel-Hafez read.
Egypt brokers ceasefire in Gaza
Egypt’s General Intelligence Service (GIS) has managed to broker a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and the Palestinian factions, that started 11:30 pm local time (20:30 GMT), sources close to the matter told Daily News Egypt.
Egypt, US discuss cooperation in confronting climate change
The call addressed the ongoing cooperation and coordination between Egypt and the US in the field of climate change as well as following up on the results of their last meeting in Berlin last month on the side-lines of the Petersburg Climate Dialogue.
Egypt categorically rejects Ethiopia’s unilateral filling of GERD in letter to UN Security Council
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry submitted a letter to the president of the UN Security Council on Friday, to register Egypt’s categorical rejection of Ethiopia’s continuation of filling the mega Nile dam unilaterally without an agreement with Egypt and Sudan on the dam’s filling and operation.
Economy
Unemployment rate at 7.2% in the 2nd quarter of 2022, CAPMAS
The Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) in Egypt announced, on Monday, the results of the labor force search for the second quarter (April-June) of 2022, where the unemployment rate reached 7.2 percent of the total labor force, which is the same rate as in the previous quarter of 2022.
Egypt Considers Raising $2.5 Billion as Economic Pressure Builds
Egypt is considering raising a loan of about 2.5 billion US dollars, according to people with knowledge of the plans, as economic pressure in the North African nation intensifies.
Egypt to Ration Electricity to Boost Gas Exports
Egypt's cabinet has approved a plan to ration electricity to save natural gas that it will instead divert to the export market to generate foreign currency, it said on Thursday.
An inferno of austerity or drowning in debt: Egypt’s choices in talks with the IMF
As the global economy has contracted in recent months, Egypt has been engaged in talks with the International Monetary Fund to shore up its rocky financial situation. Officials have generally been tight-lipped about the conditions for the new round of lending and have tried to project a position of confidence, but President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi broke ranks on this approach in a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin in mid-July.
US dollar exchange rate touches LE19, expected to reach LE20 by end of year
The Central Bank of Egypt’s valuation of the Egyptian pound against the US dollar dropped on Monday to reach nineteen Egyptian pounds to one dollar.
EGP 516.9bn increase in non-governmental bank deposits in local currency within 6 months: CBE
The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) revealed on Tuesday that the total non-governmental bank deposits in local currency amounted to 4.986 trillion Egyptian pounds in June 2022, compared to 4.469 trillion Egyptian pounds in December 2021, an increase of 516.948 trillion Egyptian pounds.
Egypt’s annual headline inflation increases by 1% in July: CBE
Egypt’s annual headline inflation rose to 15.6 percent in July, up from 14.6 in June, the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) reported on Wednesday.
The recently-established Saudi Egyptian Investment Company (SEIC), which is owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), has acquired minority stakes in four Egyptian state-owned companies in a deal worth 1.3 billion US dollars, the Sovereign Fund of Egypt (TSFE) announced on Wednesday.
A.P. Moeller-Maersk to invest $500 mln in East Port Said container terminal: Suez Canal Authority
Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority (SCA) announced on Thursday that shipping giant A.P. Moeller-Maersk is going to pump 500 million dollars in investments to develop and upgrade the Suez Canal container terminal in East Port Said.
Domestic Security
3 civilians killed, 3 kidnapped as residents flee village under assault from Province of Sinai
At least three civilians were killed at a village near the Suez Canal by stray fire from ongoing clashes between the Province of Sinai — the Islamic State affiliate in Egypt — and tribal forces fighting alongside the Egyptian Armed Forces, according to sources from Gelbana village who spoke to Mada Masr on condition of anonymity.
41 dead, 12 injured in Church of Abu Sefein blaze in Imbaba
Forty-one died and twelve were injured in a fire that broke out in the Church of the Martyr Abu Sefein in Imbaba on Sunday morning, according to a statement by Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel Ghaffar.
Lights off in Egypt to rationalize natural gas consumption
Egypt’s streets are set to go dim for a few hours every night as of this week, in what the government says is an attempt to reduce dependency on the natural gas fueling the country’s power stations, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbuly announced in a press conference last week.
GERD’s reservoir reaches 7bn cbm, no reason for fear: Expert
Sharaki added on Monday that the water has approached the saddle dam and is only 100 metres away from the 602-metre-mark, after which the saddle dam will begin storing water, which is expected to happen in next year’s filling. According to Sharaki, Egypt will not be affected by this filling in any capacity due to the presence of the Aswan High Dam and its water reserves.
The Ministry of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities announced Wednesday that houses will be delivered to former Maspero Triangle residents, who chose to be compensated by acquiring units in the same area, by September.
Arabic
أزمة «مراسي».. لا مكان للبيئة في الاستثمار
The article discusses the investment projects in the northern coast and its impacts on the ecosystem in Egypt.
The Socialist Popular Alliance Party expressed its rejection to the acquisition of several state-owned Egyptian companies by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign fund, warning against the danger of such deals to national security.
كيف فقدنا السيادة الزراعية.. الطريق إلى “التبعية الغذائية”
The article examines how neoliberal policies and land acquisition by investors have led to food dependency.
الساحة الخالية: قصة إغلاق 51 موقعًا صحفيًا في 10 سنوات
Almanassa discusses how the Egyptian regime has tightened its grip on the press over the past ten years.