Good morning, friends. We have another packed issue for you this morning breaking down the latest developments in the diplomacy sphere following the meeting between Jordan's King Abdullah and Trump, where Trump continued to push the displacement agenda, and Egypt saying it will put forward a comprehensive proposal to rebuild Gaza.

PSA-

WEATHER- It’s another cold day in Cairo, with a high of 18°C and a low of 10°C, according to our favorite weather app.

It’s just as cold in Alexandria, with a high of 18°C and a low of 11°C.

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WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- A USD 1.8 bn healthcare data center in the works? Spanish medical consultancy WHM is looking into setting up a USD 1.8 bn healthcare data center in Egypt through a consortium of investors and in partnership with the CIT Ministry, according to a statement. The project, which was proposed to Investment Minister Hassan El Khatib during his visit to Spain, aims to help position Egypt as a regional hub for AI-driven medical services.

Details TBD: The terms of the project are set to be hammered out over a series of followup meetings between the company and local authorities. El Khatib extended an invitation to WHM to visit Egypt to explore potential investments, highlighting the government’s willingness to provide the needed support for WHM to invest in the local market.

ICYMI- A key initiative of the second edition of Egypt’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, released last month, is establishing advanced data centers in a drive to develop the country’s AI infrastructure.

#2- Private players to take over public labs? Gulf and local investors — including an unnamed Emirati company — have reportedly expressed interest in managing and operating radiology and lab services in Health Ministry institutions, starting with the newly developed medical city at Nasser Institute, Al Mal reports.

The details: The partnership is expected to see the government provide the underlying assets and a portion of the equipment for the project, with the private sector partner set to supply the remainder of the equipment and come up with a pricing scheme for health services.

DATA POINT-

#1- The government plans to increase domestic wheat purchases from farmers by around 11% y-o-y to 4 mn tons during the harvest season starting mid-April, Supply Minister Sherif Farouk told Asharq Business. The government is targeting wheat imports of 6 mn tons this year — down from 6.2 mn tons in 2024 — Farouk added.

ICYMI-Egypt's total wheat imports hit a 10-year peak at 14.2 mn tons in 2024, marking a 31.5% y-o-y increase.

On the demand side: Egypt's total wheat consumption stood at nearly 20 mn tons last year, with a similar level expected this year, Farouk said.

#2- The number of high-speed mobile internet users in Egypt grew 10.5% y-o-y in 2024 to reach 87.4 mn, according to data from state statistics agency Capmas. Meanwhile, some 11.6 mn users had active home internet subscriptions last year, marking a 6.9% y-o-y increase.

HAPPENING TODAY-

Abdelatty leaves Washington for Addis Ababa: Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty is in the Ethiopian capital today to participate in the Ordinary Session of the African Union’s Executive Council taking place today and tomorrow in the leadup to the two-day AU Summit kicking off on Saturday, according to a ministry statement. During his time in Ethiopia, Abdelatty will hold talks with his African counterparts and AU officials on regional issues and efforts to enhance bilateral relations.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

Trump doubled down on his plan to forcibly displace Gazans in an impromptu press conference with King Abdullah II of Jordan, the first Arab leader to meet with the US President after his controversial statements sparked wide regional and international criticism.

“We’re gonna have Gaza … there’s nothing to buy. Gaza is a war-torn area,” Trump said, responding to a question regarding where the money will come from and who the US will buy Gaza from. Gazans will be resettled in a “parcel of land” in Jordan, another in Egypt, with other countries potentially hosting more refugees, Trump added. On the matter of cutting aid to Egypt and Jordan, the US President said: “I don’t have to threaten that, I think we’re above that.”

King Abdullah seemed unwilling to respond to Trump’s pressures to publicly endorse his plan, circling back to Jordan accepting 2k ill Palestinian children from the strip for treatment. Abdullah added that Arab nations are putting together alternative proposals with the support of regional and European players, and that there is no need to “get ahead of ourselves.” The King later reiterated in posts on X that Jordan is part of a “unified Arab position” opposing any displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

We have the full story in the news well, below.

The conference came as the fraught ceasefire in Gaza is on the brink of collapsing. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Israel will resume “intense fighting” if Hamas does not move forwards with the planned release of Israelis, with Israeli troops already amassing in and around Gaza. Meanwhile, Trump reiterated in the presser his advice that Israel “let hell break out” if Hamas ignores the deadline he put earlier for releasing captives by Saturday noon. (Bloomberg | NYTimes | CNN | Reuters | BBC)

MORE FROM TRUMP- Trump earlier signed an executive order to halt enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act that prohibits bribing foreign government officials for business gains. “It’s going to mean a lot more business for America,” the President said. (FT | Reuters | BBC)

*** It’s Hardhat day — your weekly briefing of all things infrastructure in Egypt: Enterprise’s industry vertical focuses each Wednesday on infrastructure, covering everything from energy, water, transportation, and urban development, as well as social infrastructure such as health and education.

In today’s issue: We look at how Egypt can help meet the growing demand for sustainable aviation fuel.

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