Good afternoon, friends. It’s finally the end of the workweek. At home, real estate developers are facing new levies, whereas Gaza’s worsening hunger crisis continues to dominate international headlines.

**A QUICK PROGRAMMING NOTE- EnterprisePM is taking a publication holiday tomorrow in observance of the 23 July Revolution. We will be back in your inboxes on Sunday afternoon. Until then, enjoy the long weekend.

THE BIG STORY TODAY-

Real estate developers face new fees on land on the Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road: The New Urban Communities Authority (NUCA) is imposing a new levy on land owned by developers on the Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road and North Coast, according to a document seen by EnterpriseAM. Additional steps were taken by NUCA to reclaim land plots where developers or landowners are non-compliant.

The details: The new fees include a betterment fee, which will require developers who own land or projects of up to 7 km in depth on both sides of the Desert Road to pay a new levy to the government. The stretch of land affected extends all the way from Remaya Square to the Alexandria gates. The fees are categorised as follows:

• EGP 1.5k per sqm for land up to 1 km in depth.
• EGP 750 per sqm for land between 1-3 km in depth.
• EGP 500 per sqm for land between 3-7 km in depth.

Some North Coast developers were also hit with new 10% property sales fee: NUCA is now charging a 10% fee on North Coast projects where the land was sold by a landowner to a developer, according to another document seen by EnterpriseAM. The government classifies these transactions as asset transfers that “warrant financial compensation.” The fees are calculated based on the current land value, not the price at the time of purchase or contracting, according to the document.

Real estate developers push back: The new decisions are adding mounting pressure on real estate developers, especially as they face additional pressures as the authority takes steps to reclaim land from non-compliant developers starting with the North Coast area, head of the Egyptian Real Estate Council Ahmed Shalaby told EnterpriseAM. “We fully support the state’s right to regulate the real estate market… However, the new fees imposed on companies come with significant challenges,” Shalaby said. For the Desert Road fees, the biggest issue is the vast geographical span of the affected area. Many projects in this zone have already been fully developed and sold years ago, and their legal standing is settled,” he added.

National Printing priced its EGX IPO at EGP 21.25 per share, according to a statement (pdf). The company is floating a 10% stake in a two-tranche offering that is expected to raise some EGP 449.9 mn in proceeds, implying a market cap of EGP 4.5 bn at listing, based on our calculations. The pricing represents a 25% discount to the EGP 28.27 fair value outlined in the statement. National Printing’s shares have been listed on the EGX under the symbol NAPR.CA.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR- Subscriptions for the public tranche of the offering, which is open to both retail and institutional investors, will run from Sunday, 27 July to Thursday, 31 July. The timeline for final allocations and the firm’s trading debut remain under wraps.

ADVISORS- Our friends at EFG Hermes Promoting & Underwriting are the sole global coordinator for the combined offering, while Zulficar and Partners is serving as counsel.

^^ We will have more on all of the above in Sunday's edition of EnterpriseAM Egypt.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

Over 100 international aid organizations and human rights groups have called for an immediate, permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the full lifting of restrictions on humanitarian aid, as the strip’s hunger crisis worsens. A statement, signed by 111 organizations including Mercy Corps, Refugees International, and Doctors Without Borders, among others, highlighted the spread of mass starvation throughout the enclave and urged immediate intervention by the world’s governments.

Death rates are on the rise. Over 800 Palestinians have been killed in recent weeks in an attempt to access supplies, targeted in mass shootings by Israeli forces stationed near distribution centers. “With supplies now totally depleted, humanitarian organisations are witnessing their own colleagues and partners waste away before their eyes," the statement reads. Palestinian officials have noted that dozens are dying of famine, with hospitals lacking the resources to treat the rising number of starving civilians. (Reuters | BBC | Al Jazeera | The Guardian)

☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- It’s going to be yet another particularly warm day tomorrow, with the mercury set to peak at 39°C before cooling down to 25°C. We’re expecting cooler weather up north, with a high of 29°C and a low of 26°C, according to our favorite weather app.