Good morning, friends. We’ve got another packed issue for you this morning, with plenty for you to read through this morning. Space is at a premium today, so let’s get started.

BUT FIRST- Today’s a great day to check out our sister publication EnterpriseAM KSA, as you can check out their interview with regional real estate marketing consultancy Ctrl+ co-founder Tamer Elfiky on what’s next for the Saudi real estate industry as more developers — Saudi, Egyptian, and others — look to Saudi Arabia as the next great regional growth market. You can check out the story here.

PSA-

WEATHER- Temperatures are continuing to cool in Cairo today, with a high of 24°C and a low of 17°C, according to our favorite weather app.

It’s a tiny bit chillier in Alexandria, with a high of 23°C, a low of 15°C, and scattered showers with a chance of thunder.

** DID YOU KNOW that we now cover Saudi Arabia and the UAE?

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WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- Modon Holding taps Hassan Allam Holding for Ras El Hekma construction projects: Our friends at Hassan Allam Holding have inked a memorandum of understanding with Abu Dhabi wealth fund ADQ portfolio company and Ras El Hekma project master developer Modon Holding, in an agreement to cooperate on projects in the “infrastructure, energy, and water and wastewater treatment, and special building” sectors, the companies said in a joint statement (pdf).

What they said: "This collaboration on the Ras El Hekma project paves the way for delivering world-class developments while advancing the region’s urban and economic aspirations. Together, we are committed to seizing opportunities that will transform cities and enhance the quality of life," CEO Hassan Allam said.

Remember: ADQ tapped Modon Holding to be the master developer on its landmark USD 35 bn Ras El Hekma project on the North Coast last month, with the firm also tasked with developing the first 50 mn sqm phase of the city.

#2- Instapay to start accepting remittances from GCC nations starting within two months The Central Bank of Egypt’s payment platform Instapay will start accepting Egypt-bound remittances from Gulf nations before within two months, the bank’s deputy assistant governor for payment systems and services, Ehab Nasr, said yesterday at the Pafix Expo at Cairo ICT 2024, reports Al Mal. For the time being, transfers will be received in EGP, but opening this up to AED and SAR is being studied.

We’ve been waiting for this for a while now: We heard back in November that the centralbank had agreed with UAE, Jordan —and is in advanced talks with Saudi Arabia’s central bank — to onboard banks in these countries on the CBE-run payments app and roll out the remittance services in 1H 2024. We then heard from unconfirmed reports in July that the date had been pushed back to September.

Easier ways to pay here at home are also in the works: The CBE announced that Egyptians will soon be able to make payments using Apple Pay and Samsung Pay apps as well as the use of QR code payments, as part of the country’s initiative for contactless payment solutions, reports Asharq Business.

As are more hassle-free ways to open accounts: The central bank is also aiming to launch electronic know your customer services — known in the industry as e-KYC — that will enable Egyptians to open bank accounts online in the first half of next year, Digital Financial Identity CEO Tamer Gadalla told Asharq Business. This would be a big help for banks and other players in the financial services industry who are desperate to move away from wet signatures. A switch to e-KYC allows current and potential customers to verify their identities online — getting low-value transactions out of branches (if you’re the bank) and saving you the hassle of driving to, parking, and queuing at the branch (if you’re the customer).

#3- Your phone and internet bills are just about to go up: The National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) has given its preliminary approval to increase prices of telecom services in Egypt, with the authority having granted its approval to four telecom operators to raise the prices of phone calls and internet services, Al Arabiya quotes NTRA CEO Mohamed Shamroukh as saying.

HAPPENING TODAY-

#1- It’s the second and the final day of the G20 Summit in Brazil: President Abdel Fattah El Sisi addressed the summit yesterday and called for the “mobilization of political will to reorient global priorities” to address military aggression, developing nations’ debt, a widening gap between the developed and developing world, and the needed financing to meet climate goals. El Sisi also called out how "persistent Israeli aggression continues unabated, thriving on the world’s inaction.”

Egypt and Brazil also inked a strategic partnership on day one of the summit: The heads of the two Brics nations signed a strategic partnership, marking 100 years of diplomatic relations, according to an Ittihadiya statement. Key priorities under the partnership include commitment to the UN Charter and International Law, enhancing diplomatic relations, focusing on both nations’ socio-economic development needs, increasing consultation on issues of common interest, and expanding cooperation across areas such as trade, investment, agriculture, environment, science, and education. The two countries will develop a dynamic action plan to implement the partnership.

#2- Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad is in Azerbaijan for the ministerial segment of COP29, where she will jointly lead negotiations for a new collective climate finance goal with her Australian counterpart, according to a ministry statement. The aim of the negotiations is to initiate a new climate finance goal to help developing nations and communities most affected by climate change to adapt to the effects of climate change and to implement mitigation measures.

Fouad is also set to hold a number of bilateral meetings with ministers and representatives of international organizations on the sidelines of the summit, and take part in discussions over the conference on tourism and transportation, biodiversity, coastal areas, and indigenous peoples.

#3- El Nasr Castings is set to resume operations today following a two year production hiatus, according to a statement from the Industry Ministry. An agreement inked between the company and the workers’ union commits the company to fund operations, material inputs, along with employee salaries and incentives from the sale of unused assets. Industry Minister Kamel El Wazir added that the needed input materials will be provided as of today.

#4- The Federation of Egyptian Industries’ Arab Cooperation Committee will host a delegation from the Saudi Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the Conrad Hotel today, with the goal of discussing cooperation and investment between the two countries.

IN THE HOUSE-

The proposed refugee law is expected to be put up for a final vote today: The House is expected to take a final vote today on a government-drafted bill that aims to establish a legal framework for refugees’ status, rights and obligations, after the law received preliminary approval on Sunday. The bill proposes creating a permanent committee for refugee affairs to handle all refugee-related matters, including managing data and statistics.

Also on the agenda: The House will also continue discussing the newly-amended Criminal Procedures Law and vote on an agreement between Egypt and Italy on implementing a program supporting the rights of citizens with disabilities.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

COP29 climate talks in Baku are in disarray and multiple Western media outlets are portraying Saudi Arabia as spoiler-in-chief. Ministers leading the talks, including top officials from Germany, Australia, and South Africa, have flown into Azerbaijan in a bid to put things back on track.

The key sticking points in this final week of talks: Saudi leads a group of countries that don’t want the final agreement to include steps outlining how countries will transition away from fossil fuels and embrace greener energy. Saudi, the UAE and China are also resisting pushes to contribute to a fund to help developing countries transition — backers want a USD 100 bn goal (agreed a decade ago) to be bumped up to USD 1 tn, the Financial Times notes.

The flavor in the western press: “Saudi Arabia is a ‘wrecking ball’ in global climate talks,” blares the headline in the New York Times. Bloomberg has a similar take.

MEANWHILE- Eat the rich: The G20, meeting in Rio, has pledged to impose taxes on the super-rich — and repeated a demand that the climate finance pool be expanded to “tns” not “bns” of USD. The call to tax bn’aires’ incomes by 2%, pushed by Brazil, is short on specifics.

WORTH READING- The Wall Street Journal’s portrait of the incoming Trump administration’s “point man” on the Middle East, real estate baron Steve Witkoff.

Speaking to Trump II: It’s still unclear who will run Treasury and the National Economic Council, though Bloomberg suggests we may have some clarity here before the week is out.

CLOSER TO HOME- Oman’s state energy company, OQ, is looking to raise as much as USD 490 mn from the IPO of its methanol and liquefied petroleum unit. Cornerstone investors for up to 30% of the offering are reportedly in place.

*** 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 take a look at the World Food Programme’s Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator and the local startups that made the cut.

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