CABINET WATCH- Madbouly Cabinet approves bundle of grants: The Madbouly Cabinet approved yesterday two USAID grants worth a combined USD 14 mn to support pre-natal care and science and technology funding, according to a cabinet statement on Wednesday. The ministers also approved a EUR 1.5 mn grant from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to establish a railway freight transport company and its purchase of 100 new railway cars. Cabinet also signed off on recommendations from a government committee allowing the government to use no-bid contracts for unspecified projects. The approval still requires the direct order agreements to comply with the Auctions and Tenders Act. Previous iterations of the routine decision has garnered flak in the foreign press, with Al Monitor suggesting on Wednesday that this could open the door to corruption.

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