FINTECH-

Fawry in talks to set up in KSA: Egypt’s leading e-payments player Fawry has entered preliminary talks with the Saudi central bank to obtain a license to operate in the country, it confirmed in a statement (pdf). “The discussions are in line with the company’s long-term regional expansion plans into the GCC and are expected to culminate in a final assessment by year-end,” the company said. CEO Ashraf Sabry told Asharq Business earlier this month that the company is looking to enter the country.

Fawry is also looking into whether it wants to throw its hat into the digital banking ring in Egypt when the central bank gives the OK to the still-nascent sector.

HEALTHCARE-

Egypt could set up its first blood bag factory with private-sector help: Public Enterprises Minister Mahmoud Esmat discussed setting up Egypt’s first blood bag and blood transfusion supplies factory with a number of Unified Procurement Authority yesterday, the Public Enterprises Ministry said in a statement. The factory will be established by the authority, the Holding Company for Pharma Industries (HoldiPharma), two private-sector players, and an unnamed Japanese company. The factory will aim to fulfill local market needs, with the rest going towards exports to neighboring countries.

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