Budget day turned budget night on the airwaves as the nation’s talking heads unpacked the details of the government’s spending plans announced by Finance Minister Mohamed Maait yesterday. Of particular note was Kelma Akhira, where show host Lamees El Hadidi interviewed two MPs with different opinions about the government’s handling of the public purse.

For: “The Egyptian government has the ability to create budgets with extreme caution, taking into account any surprises that may occur,” Budget Committee Deputy Chairman Yasser Omar told El Hadidi (watch, runtime: 7:36). “We know that things got out of hand for FY 2022-2023 due to the devaluation that happened across several phases,” he said.

Against: “Unfortunately, we see no vision towards reform for the fiscal year 2023-2024,” said MP and Reform and Development Party Head Ayman Aboul Ela (watch, runtime: 3:11). “The budget has had the same issues since 2016 … and the government doesn't take them into account,” he said, adding that the budget conversation didn’t even touch upon solutions to pay back our debts or resolve the budget deficit. Meanwhile, Masa’a DMC’s Ramy Radwan broke down the budget for his viewers (watch, runtime: 6:14).

** For more on the FY 2023-2024 budget: We break everything down in this morning’s Budget Watch, above.

FOOD SUBSIDIES- More on the Supply Ministry’s move to curb spending on subsidized food: The Supply Ministry earlier this month decided to hike subsidized commodity prices between 25-75% and yesterday came out with a decision tightening limits on purchasing power per ration card holder (more on than in the news well, above). The state is limiting the quantities purchased to ensure there is enough to go around for all ration card holders, Supply Ministry undersecretary in Alexandria Mohamed Saadallah told Kelma Akhira (watch, runtime: 8:34). Even after the price hike, there is a significant price difference between subsidized and unsubsidized products that could reach up to 80%, he added.

SUDAN- Shoukry continues diplomatic efforts: Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry joined Ala Mas’ouleety for the second interview in as many days (watch, runtime: 5:29) following his meeting with South Sudanese President Salva Kiir in Juba yesterday. President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has reached out to neighboring countries — including South Sudan and Chad — to work to restore peace and stability in Sudan, Shoukry said, adding that the priority at this stage remains establishing a ceasefire and protecting civilians.

The hardest part is yet to come: “The next post-truce phase is the hardest … it requires serious work and trials to reestablish political dialogue to move the nation from fighting to dialogue and from dialogue to stability,” former foreign minister Mohamed El Orabi told Al Hayah Al Youm (watch, runtime: 5:30). Orabi also joined Masa’a DMC (watch, runtime: 6:23).

The trip from Sudan to Egypt: El Hadidi interviewed (watch, runtime: 20:40) Egyptian students who were studying in Sudan to get the details of their trips back to Egypt after the war broke out.

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