Good morning, all. Unlike the weather, the news cycle is showing no sign of cooling down. Real estate news leads the news well this morning, following the announcement of a EGP 900 bn Red Sea project courtesy of Emaar Misr and Citystars. The project will be modeled after Emaar’s flagship Marassi North Coast and is expected to be the first of many big projects announced on the Red Sea.

AND- The government has laid out its vision for the economy for the years to come with the release of the National Narrative for Economic Development. The narrative lays the roadmap for Egypt to become a trade- and export-led economy.

You asked, and we listened.

Introducing Morning Drive: your daily 10-minute audio download of the essential business headlines shaping Egypt.

Hosted by ‘Synthetic Salma’ — an AI-powered version of our Executive Editor Salma El-Saeed — you get our rigorous journalism that’s always on point, delivered on time in a consistent voice every morning.

Stay tuned for the first episode drop on 14 September.

Follow EnterpriseAM Egypt on your favorite podcast app to be the first to listen.

PSA-

WEATHER- We’re in for another warm day here in Cairo, with a high of 32°C and a low of 24°C, according to our favorite weather app.

It’s not as warm in Alexandria, which is looking at a high of 30°C and a low of 23°C.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- One platform for fee collection: Investment Minister Hassan El Khatib yesterday announced that the government will soon launch an electronic platform to streamline fee collections throughout all stages of the business cycle. The platform will encompass all economic activity and act as the single point for fee collection.

ALSO FROM EL KHATIB- The minister unveiled that the government has reduced custom clearance time from 14 days to 5.8 days, saving importers some USD 1.2 bn. The government is looking to cut clearance time to just 2 days by the end of 2025. Cutting down clearance time by a single day helps save private players up to USD 150 mn, he said, adding that these savings help reduce costs and commodity prices.

#2- EgyptAlum and Bahrain’s Alba to set up USD 3 bn alumina refinery? State-owned EgyptAlum and Aluminium Bahrain (Alba) will assess the feasibility of developing a USD 3 bn alumina refining plant in Egypt, according to an EGX disclosure (pdf). The details of the project weren’t disclosed.

SOUND SMART- Alumina is the primary raw material used in aluminum manufacturing.

REMEMBER- The government was in talks with Alba last year to establish a factory to produce bauxite — the raw material used in the production of aluminum — in the Red Sea’s Ras Ghareb.

The first of many Egyptian-Bahraini projects? Egypt and Bahrain agreed to implement joint projects exceeding USD 600 mn during Bahraini Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa’s visit to Cairo, a government official told Asharq Business. The two countries signed eight MoUs and agreements to boost cooperation across several sectors last week, Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly said without disclosing any details.

The two nations want to increase their annual trade volume to USD 1.5 bn over the coming two years, up from USD 661 mn in 2024.

HAPPENING TOMORROW-

The government will announce the ins and outs of the financing initiative to revive and restructure idle factories tomorrow, Industry Minister Kamel El Wazir said yesterday. The plan will see the establishment of a dedicated fund with participation from the Central Bank of Egypt and local banks, which will provide financing in exchange for equity stakes of up to 25% in idle or struggling factories.

The initiative targets some 6k factories across sectors, with the goal of restoring their production capacity, boosting industrial output, and creating jobs, El Wazir said.

We saw this coming: A government source told us in December that the government is mulling reopening 12k stalled factories, approving immediate reopenings and waiving accumulated penalties for previously operational facilities, as part of an initiative to streamline administrative hurdles in the industry and support the sector.

CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

So, when will we see progress on the plan to develop the country’s airports through PPPs? The Madbouly government will launch the tender to select a strategic private partner for maintaining, operating, and upgrading the Hurghada International Airport next February, Civil Aviation Minister Sameh Elhefny told El Hekaya’s Amr Adib (watch, runtime: 53:19). Prior to that, interested private sector players will have the chance to submit their request for qualification between mid-October and early November, he added.

REMEMBER- The International Finance Corporation (IFC) unveiled a list of 11 Egyptian airports slated for development through public-private partnerships back in March. Hurghada International Airport will serve as a pilot project for the program.

What about the plans to set up Cairo Airport Terminal 4? Elhefny said that the USD 4.5 bn fourth passenger terminal at Cairo International Airport, first announced in 2019, will be completed within four years after securing the cabinet’s approval. The terminal will have a capacity of 30-40 mn passengers annually, double the capacity currently held in the three existing terminals, he said.

Check out our full calendar on the web for a comprehensive listing of upcoming news events, national holidays and news triggers.

FACT CHECK-

Oriental Weavers put delisting rumours to bed: Oriental Weavers denied reports that it will be delisting from the EGX, it said in a disclosure (pdf).

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

** Were you forwarded this email? Tap or click here to get your own copy delivered every weekday before 7am Cairo time — without charge.

ICYMI- Missed this week’s Inside Industry? In our weekly vertical exploring all things industry and manufacturing, we looked at the recent wave of Turkish investments into Egypt — Turkish companies have invested around USD 500 mn in Egypt so far this year. Check out the story here.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

The global press zeroed in on US President Donald Trump’s “last warning” to Hamas, as he continued to push the group to accept the terms of his ceasefire and hostage release agreement. “The Israelis have accepted my Terms … It is time for Hamas to accept as well,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff last week delivered the proposal to Hamas — the proposal includes releasing all 48 remaining Israeli hostages in exchange for ending Israel’s war on Gaza.. (Bloomberg | Reuters | Axios | AFP | BBC)

ON THE TARIFFS FRONT- US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that the Trump administration may have to return as much as USD 1 tn in collected tariffs if the Supreme Court strikes down the president’s reciprocal tariffs, writes CNBC. During an interview, Bessent said “we would have to give a refund on about half the tariffs, which would be terrible for the Treasury,” though he expressed confidence that the court would ultimately side with the administration.

AND IN SPORTS NEWS- Carlos Alcaraz reclaimed the world No. 1 spot yesterday after defeating Jannik Sinner in the US Open final. Alcaraz’s 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory handed him his second US Open and sixth Grand Slam title and a 10-5 edge in his head-to-head rivalry with Sinner. (Associated Press | BBC | New York Times)

ALSO WORTH READING THIS MORNING-

  • Are music-backed bonds the next hot thing on Wall Street? The so-called “Bowie bonds” — debt instruments backed by music royalties — are hitting the mainstream, with investors like Blackstone and Carlyle helping raise a record USD 4.4 bn in 2025. (Financial Times)
  • The death of the career ladder? As AI eats into entry-level jobs, the classic American tale of climbing from mailroom to CEO could soon be a thing of the past. Research shows a 50% drop in new roles for fresh grads at major tech firms, and with org charts flattening and AI systems working 24/7, early career development is under threat. Experts suggest the “bottom rung” may disappear entirely — but optimists say a flatter structure could just uplevel everyone. (CNBC)

*** It’s Blackboard day: We have our weekly look at the business of education in Egypt, from pre-K through the highest reaches of higher ed.

In today’s issue: We look at the Education Ministry’s latest efforts to tighten supervision of tuition, curricula, and services in schools.

Tags: