Good morning, wonderful people. Sometimes, short is sweet and less is more — and with that in mind, we’re happy to have a pretty slim issue for you today after a jam-packed issue yesterday.

But before we jump into things, a bit of good news for anxious flyers in Egypt…

PSA #1- Don’t worry, EgyptAir does not fly the Boeing 737 Max, per our check of their activefleet. United Airlines said it found loose bolts and other issues on its grounded 737 Max planes following safety checks after a piece of fuselage from a Boeing 737 Max 9 blew off during an Alaska Airlines flight last week. Boeing shares plunged 8% in trading yesterday as industry analysts warn that the airplane maker could face a widening crisis over its 737 Max model.

PSA #2- You have just six days until the World Economic Forum gets underway in Davos, spewing influencer nonsense all over your newsfeed. Reps of more than 100 governments, 1k paid corporate partners, along with other business leaders, entrepreneurs, and civil society types (does anyone use that word anymore? “Civil society?”) are set to attend.

This year’s theme is “rebuilding trust,” organizers say, adding, “The programme embodies a ‘back to basics’ spirit of open and constructive dialogue between leaders of government, business and civil society.” Job creation, AI (which … kind of stands in opposition to the former?), and “long-term strategy for climate, nature and energy” get plenty of attention on the teaser agenda.

INFLATION WATCH-

Analysts polled by Reuters expect headline inflation to have eased for a third consecutive month in December on lower food prices, but with the all-important caveat that this downward trajectory could be reversed again in the following months on the back of the government’s recent price hikes. A median forecast of 14 analysts pegged annual urban consumer price inflation at 33.4% y-o-y in December, down from 34.6% in November.

December’s inflation data is due tomorrow.

THE BIG STORY HERE AT HOME-

The Madbouly government begins auditing costs of caring for migrants:Ministers held a meeting yesterday to review the costs the government incurs to support the c. 9 mn refugees and migrants living in Egypt, a cabinet statement said yesterday.

** We’ve got the reactions to the news in Last Night’s Talk Shows, below.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

Blinken warns against pressuring Palestinians to leave Gaza: US Secretary of StateAnthony Blinken insisted that “Palestinian civilians must be able to return home as soon as conditions allow. … They cannot, they must not be pressed to leave Gaza” during his visit to the Qatari capital on Sunday.

ICMYI- Blinken is on a regional tour and is set to land down in Cairo at some point this week: Blinken is in Israel today to continue his diplomatic push and has said that he will push the Netanyahu government “on the absolute imperative to do more to protect civilians and to do more to make sure that humanitarian assistance is getting into the hands of those who need it.” Blinken is still scheduled to the West Bank, and Egypt by the end of Thursday, so expect to see Blinken making an appearance either tomorrow or the day after.

The story got ample coverage in the int’l papers:Reuters | BBC | The Guardian | CNN

HAPPENING TODAY-

The Senate is in session: Senators reconvene today to discuss a report detailing the relationship between state-funded technology schools and the needs of industry, with a recommendation that more institutions are established to make sure manufacturers have access to the skilled labor they need.

HAPPENING TOMORROW-

PSA- Interested in Chicago Booth executive ed here in Egypt? Tap or click here to register for a webinar on Wednesday at 7pm CLT to learn more about the Chicago Booth Executive Program in El Gouna. You’ve got until 11 February if you want to apply for the program, which is produced here by the University of Chicago and the Sawiris Foundation. Both private- and public-sector execs are welcome to apply.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- The government wants to launch a digital currency by 2030: The government is planningto launch a central bank digital currency (CBDC) by 2030, according to a report (pdf) released by the cabinet’s Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC). The government is also aiming to achieve 100% financial inclusion by 2030 — up from 67.3% recorded in June — and increase the number of e-wallets 130% to 80 mn during the same period.

#2- Cash-strapped Argentina looks to impress IMF via debt payment: In a bid to unlock a USD 3.3 bn International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan, Argentina is expected to make USD 1 bn in interest payments to foreign bondholders today, writes Bloomberg.

MORNING DISTRACTIONS-

#1- 2024 could be the year that passwords die as tech giants and startups alike push forward with passkeys — a technology that could make the need to remember or track dozens of passwords obsolete.

What are passkeys? They replace passwords with “authentication mechanisms built into your own devices,” the Verge writes. “That means you can use Face ID on your iPhone, Windows Hello on your PC, or the fingerprint sensor on your Android phone to authorize access to your websites, apps, and services.”

Why? They’re more secure — only a hashed version is saved by developers and they’re protection against phishing attacks: Your grandpa (or mom or dad or the guy in finance) can’t be tricked into clicking a bogus link because “the browser or OS handles verification” that the website is legit.

How to get started: The Verge has a constantly updated storystream that should be more than enough to get you started. Want to get a bit nerdier? Go to Smashing Magazine.

#2- Residents of Planet Startup shouldn’t think that venture capital’s annus horribilis is over. Early data from PitchBook “indicates global VC investment in startups continued to slide in the fourth quarter of 2023,” TechCrunch writes.

#3- Object of desire for type nerds: Shift Happens: A Book about Keyboards. 1.3k photographs over 1.2k pages in a two-volume book about keyboards. Even if you don’t want to order it (the shipping bill…) the website is a ton of fun for the design-minded among us.

*** It’s Going Green day — your weekly briefing of all things green in Egypt: Enterprise’s green economy vertical focuses each Tuesday on the business of renewable energy and sustainable practices in Egypt, everything from solar and wind energy through to water, waste management, sustainable building practices and how you can make your business greener, whatever the sector.

In today’s issue: We’ve got a full rundown of our latest green targets through 2030 from a newly-published report from the Cabinet Information and Decision Support Center that has been the talk of the town of Egypt’s business press.

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