THIS EVENING: 5G licenses coming this year? + President Abdel Fattah El Sidi meeting with Jordanian counterpart King Abdullah II in Cairo

Good afternoon, friends, and happy THURSDAY. We’ve come to the end of a tense week, although the situation in the region continues to develop.

THE BIG STORY TODAY

5G licenses coming this year? The National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority is reportedly planning to issue a tender for Egypt’s first licenses for 5G frequencies in December for a minimum of USD 500 mn minimum per license, Asharq Business reports, citing sources it says are close to the matter. Former CIT Minister Yasser El Kady had previously said that 5G licenses could be issued in 2020.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is in Tel Aviv today to show the nation’s support for Israel during its ongoing conflict with Palestine. Sunak’s visit follows that of US President Joe Biden, who agreed with President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to coordinate a small stream of humanitarian aid to arrive in Gaza. (Reuters | Washington Post | CNBC) On the ground, the bombing continued early this morning, and included the southern area of Gaza that Israel had identified as a safe zone claiming the lives of at least 12 Palestinians and injuring 40 others. (Associated Press)

HAPPENING NOW- Jordan’s King Abdullah II is in Cairo to meet with President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to discuss the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, according to an Ittihadiya statement. Abdullah’s visit comes after Jordan canceled earlier this week its planned four-way summit in Amman that aimed to bring together the leaders of Jordan, Egypt, the US and the Palestinian Authority due to Washington’s stance on the war.

** CATCH UP QUICK on the top stories from today’s EnterpriseAM:

• Egypt is looking to borrow for a rainy — or sunny — day ahead: The Madbouly government wants to secure as much as USD 3 bn in fresh debt financing by the end of the fiscal year through bond issuances and international loans.
• Al Dahra wants more Egyptian land: Emirati agribusiness Al Dahra is currently in negotiations to purchase up to 500k feddans of agricultural land in Egypt.
• Egypt could be on track to open the Rafah border crossing tomorrow and allow a limited number of trucks carrying humanitarian aid into Gaza.

☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- The mercury will rise to 32°C in the daytime and simmer to a cooler 23°C in the evening, according to our favorite weather app.