LEGISLATION-

New Criminal Procedures Law is going back to the House: President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has sent the draft Criminal Procedures Law back to the House of Representatives to address objections over several articles, according to an Ittihadiya statement. The move follows calls from multiple stakeholders urging a review of the law’s provisions.

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What’s under review? The statement said the articles in question relate to governance, clarity, and practicality — specifically ensuring greater protection for defendant rights, expanding alternatives to pre-trial detention, removing ambiguous language that could cause conflicting interpretations, and allowing more time for ministries and agencies to prepare for new mechanisms and models introduced in the draft law.

What’s next? PMs will convene on Wednesday, 1 October, in the presence of Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly, to look into the draft law again.

REMEMBER- After months of back-and-forth the House approved the new law in April, laying out the framework for investigating, prosecuting, and trying criminal cases. We dive into some of the key provisions of the draft law in our previous coverage — check it out here.

MANUFACTURING-

Saudi Paper and its local paper manufacturing arm Carta Misr want to establish a USD 50 mn paper manufacturing plant, Carta Misr CEO Mohamed Gamal told Hapi Journal. Operations are expected to kick off by the end of 2027, with the factory set to produce fluting and testliner paper — used in cardboard manufacturing — “at lower costs and with greater competitiveness.” The project will be fully financed by the group.

Carta Misr aims to double its production capacity to 300k tons annually within two years, up from the current 150k tons. It will also begin producing new types of paper that have not yet been manufactured domestically.

M&A WATCH-

Premium Healthcare Group plans to acquire Germany-based medical supplies company Biotina for EUR 3.5 mn, Premium Healthcare Vice Chairman Beshoy George told Al Borsa. Following the acquisition, Premium Healthcare will invest a further EGP 200 mn in Biotina, which manufactures products in China and South Korea and supplies them to Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan, according to an EGX disclosure (pdf).

The move comes as part of the group’s plan to invest EGP 2.8 bn in 12 companies across Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, either through acquisitions or greenfield, as it aims to diversify its portfolio and regional footprint.

INFRASTRUCTURE –

Egypt awarded the construction and operation of five electrical transformer stations — whose collective investments total EGP 18 bn — to the private sector, Asharq Business reports, citing an unnamed government official. The companies undertaking the project include Kharafi National, XD-EGEMAC, and Al Gammal Contracting, according to the official.

DEBT WATCH-

Catalyst Partners’ Catalyst Leasing & Factoring secured a EGP 600 mn credit facility from a banking syndicate and hopes to double financing to EGP 1.2 bn by the end of the year, the company said in a statement seen by EnterpriseAM. ADCB Egypt, Suez Canal Bank, and the National Bank of Egypt are leading the facility.

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