National Dialogue calls for mass protests against Israel’s war + Aid could reach Gaza on Friday

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What We're Tracking Today

National Dialogue calls for mass protests against Israel’s war in Gaza

Good morning, wonderful people. Join us, please, in a quiet expression of gratitude for the simple fact of having made it to the end of the workweek. (At least for our readers here in Omm El Donia.)

The mood in Egypt this morning is perhaps best summed up here and here. (It’s vulgar and best not played if little ears are with you in the kitchen / car / wherever.) The first clip is an oldie-but-goodie dating back to perhaps 2017, while the second is from yesterday in Downtown.

The war in Gaza is continuing to drive the news cycle at home and abroad this morning, with the nation in three days of mourning for the more than 470 victims of Tuesday’s hospital bombing and mass protests called for the weekend.

We have all the key updates in this morning’s War Watch, but here’s the tl;dr:

Mass protests tomorrow: The National Dialogue is calling on Egyptians to take to the streets on Friday to denounce Israel’s war in Gaza and the prospect of it forcibly displacing Palestinians into Sinai.
Gaza aid tomorrow? That’s according to Joe Biden, who seems to have left Israel with an agreement for Egypt and Israel to allow a limited number of aid trucks into the besieged enclave (emphasis on limited).
In shock news: The US vetoed a UN Security Council to call for a temporary humanitarian ceasefire because it wasn’t sufficiently pro-Israeli.
Washington’s MidEast policy in two figures: USD 10 bn for Israel. USD 100 mn for the Palestinians.

We’re looking for a big weekend on the diplomatic front:

Gaza summit in Egypt: Regional and world leaders are scheduled to gather in Cairo on Saturday to discuss ending the conflict and finding a solution to the Palestine issue. There’s no word on who will be attending.
The UN secretary-general is in town today: Antonio Guterres will meet with President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to discuss the entrance of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
And the next foreign diplomat to visit Egypt is… British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly. A statement from the Foreign Office didn’t detail his itinerary, saying only that he would begin on Wednesday a three-day tour of Egypt, Turkey and Qatar.
There’s one diplomat who’s heading in the opposite direction: The Israeli ambassador to Cairo and embassy staff, who all have been evacuated from the country in response to the rising risk of unrest, according to Israeli media.
A travel warning: The US and UK are now warning their citizens against all travel to Lebanon as fighting intensifies between Lebanese armed groups and the Israeli military.

DATA POINT- Egypt hosts 390k UNHCR-registered refugees and asylum seekers from 59 countries, with Syrian refugees accounting for most of them, according to the UNHCR’s latest fact sheet (pdf). Some 317k people fleeing the crisis in Sudan have also entered Egypt since mid-April who are yet to be registered on the humanitarian organization’s records.

CREDIT CARD WATCH-

Banks in Egypt are now following strict new CBE instructions on credit card use for foreign-currency transactions. The measures, which came into effect at midnight last night, effectively put an EGP 7,750 per-month cap on FX-denominated transactions in Egypt. Folks wanting to use their cards abroad will need to contact their banks and provide proof they’re planning to travel before card issuers allow a more generous limit. The measures come after most banks imposed curbs on debit card spending.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- S&P is next up to review our credit rating: S&P Global Ratings will publish its review of our sovereign credit rating tomorrow. Moody’s downgraded its rating for Egypt to Caa1 from B3 earlier this month due to worsening debt affordability and the FX crunch.

AND THEN- Fitch will conduct its review at the beginning of November.

#2- Unknown buyer acquires chunk of Fawry: An undisclosed investor purchased a 4.7% stake in e-payments giant Fawry in a block transaction on the EGX yesterday, according to an EGX bulletin. Almost 161.5 mn of the company’s shares were acquired for almost EGP 904 mn, the bourse said.

CHINA WATCH-

Xi Jinping promises USD 100 bn in new financing for developing economies: Chinese President Xi Jinping promised foreign companies wider access to the Chinese market, as well as USD 100 bn in new financing for developing economies during the Belt and Road Forum on Wednesday, the Associated Press reports.

Xi and Putin discuss deepening economic and political ties: China’s President Xi Jinping told Russian President Vladimir Putin that the two nations should partner in “strategic emerging industries” and work towards making “substantial progress” on the long-awaited Sino-Russian natural gas pipeline, according to a C hinese re adout of the conversation.

ALSO- China is unlikely to receive advanced AI chips any time soon, after the US announced it will cease shipments of the products, the nation’s latest measure designed to limit China’s military development, reports Reuters.

CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

The Toma family’s bid to acquire an additional 46.9% of Dice starts today, the EGX announced yesterday. The company's shareholders will have until 15 November to respond to the offer. If successful, the acquisition will be executed five trading days after the offer period ends. The Toma family is asking for EGP 0.65 per share, valuing the 838.14 mn shares targeted at up to EGP 544.8 mn per the mandatory tender offer (MTO) published earlier this week.

The deadline is ticking for Dar Venture’s DarE incubator applications: Submissions for the DarE Incubator program by Dar Al-Handasah’s venture capital arm Dar Ventures will come to end this Friday. The six-month program is set to accelerate the growth of promising tech startups from the region.

Oceanman is coming back to Somabay Red Sea for the third year in a row on 20-21 October 2023. More than 500 swimmers from 34 different countries worldwide. Uniting both professional and amateur open water swimmers from all over the world. Different races for athletes of all levels: 10 km, 5 km, 1.5 km and 3 x 500 m relay. Tap or click the image above for the experience of a lifetime.

Egypt is looking to borrow USD 3 bn by the end of the fiscal year

Egypt is looking to borrow for a rainy — or sunny — day ahead: The Madbouly government wants to secure as much as USD 3 bn in fresh debt financing by the end of the fiscal year through bond issuances and international loans, a senior official at the Finance Ministry told Enterprise on Wednesday. The fresh funds will help bolster the budget and help the country meet any emergency financing needs, the official added.

The funding is set to come from a mix of bond issuances and international loans and is about twice the amount officials had previously telegraphed was coming. The funding includes:

USD 1.5 bn from a range of financial institutions;
USD 500 mn from Deutsche Bank and the Arab Banking Corporation teased by officials earlier this week;
The equivalent of USD 500 mn from the recently-closed panda bond;
Another USD 500 mn from an upcoming samurai bond.

Here’s the breakdown:

#1- International financing of USD 1.5 bn is in the works: The Madbouly government is currently negotiating financing worth USD 1.5 bn with a number of international financial institutions, the official told us, stopping short of naming any of the institutions. The official offered no detailed timeline other than that the Finance Ministry wants to have the funds on its balance sheet by the end of the current fiscal year.

#2- Deutsche Bank and ABC are prepping a USD 500 mn loan: The Finance Ministry is in talks to secure two loans worth a combined USD 500 mn from Deutsche Bank and the Arab Banking Corporation (ABC), the official told us, confirming an earlier report in the local press that suggest the documentation on the facilities is now at the House of Representatives’ Legislative and Constitutional Affairs Committee for review. Look for the debt to have a seven-year tenor. Maait previously said that Kuwaiti ins. company Dhaman could guarantee the loan.

Advisors: The Finance Ministry has appointed law firm Helmy, Hamza & Partners — Baker McKenzie's Cairo office — as the local legal advisor in the negotiations, while Reed Smith is acting as the international legal advisor.

#3- Our maiden panda bond issuance, fully subscribed to by Chinese investors, is worth the equivalent of just under USD 500.

#4- Our upcoming JPY-denominated Samurai bond issuance next month is worth the equivalent of USD 500 mn, the Finance Ministry official noted.

PLUS: Could we see a new sukuk issuance in Q1 2024? The Finance Ministry is working towards a new sukuk issuance in Q1 2024 that could raise USD 1 bn, our Finance Ministry source told us, without giving any further details. Our first-ever sovereign sukuk issuance in February raised USD 1.5 bn.

UAE’s Al Dahra wants to buy up more land in Egypt’s Toshka

Al Dahra wants more Egyptian land: Emirati agribusiness Al Dahra is currently in negotiations to purchase up to 500k feddans of agricultural land in Egypt, Reuters reported citing two sources it said with direct knowledge of the matter. The company, which is half-owned by the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ, is in talks with the military’s National Service Projects Organization (NSPO) to acquire land in Toshka to grow wheat and corn.

The details: Al Dahra wants up to 500k feddans in phases in a direct purchase or a long-term lease agreement, the newswire reported. The price tag and timeline of the acquisition were not disclosed. The company told the newswire it would announce any new Egyptian partnerships at the “appropriate time.”

Al Dahra is no stranger to Egypt: Al Dahra currently owns 67k feddans of land in Toshka and East Owaynat and is the biggest private-sector wheat producer in Egypt. The company has sold more than 180k tons of wheat to the government over the past three years, making it GASC’s largest local private-sector supplier. Egypt signed a USD 500 mn agreement with the Abu Dhabi Exports Office in August to purchase wheat from Al Dahra.

It hasn’t always been smooth sailing: The government withdrew some of the 100k feddans Al Dahra had purchased in Toshka as part of an agricultural mega project in 2019, saying the company had fallen behind a timeline to cultivate the land.

Egypt wants to boost its wheat crop: The government aims to increase the amount of land allocated to wheat farming by 25% to 4 mn feddans next harvest season. State agencies bough around 3.4 mn tons of wheat from local farmers during this year’s harvest, down 10% from last year and lower than the 4 mn-ton target originally set for the 2023 season.

Aid could enter Gaza via Egypt border as soon as Friday, says Biden

Egypt could be on track to open the Rafah border crossing tomorrow and allow a limited number of trucks carrying humanitarian aid into Gaza, US President Joe Biden told reporters yesterday. Egypt “agreed to … let up to 20 trucks through to begin with,” Biden said following conversations with President Abdel Fattah El Sisi (Egyptian and US readouts here) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu had earlier signaled Israel could relent on its total siege: “Israel will not prevent humanitarian assistance from Egypt as long as it is only food, water and medicine … as long as these supplies do not reach Hamas,” the prime minister’s office said following the meeting with Biden yesterday. Israel has imposed a total blockade on the strip for the past 10 days, triggering a shortage of water and food and leaving hospitals on the verge of collapse.

Why the wait? Biden said that the aid convoy would not be able to enter immediately due to damage on the Gaza side of the border. The Israeli military has bombed the border crossing several times over the past week.

Yes, but:

Netanyahu’s statement made no mention of allowing fuel into the strip, which is vital for keeping hospitals operational. There has also been no talk of localized ceasefires to protect aid workers, putting them at risk of Israeli airstrikes.
Neither the Egyptians or the Israelis have corroborated Biden’s statements.Ittihadiya’s readout of the conversation mentioned said the two leaders had discussed the delivery of aid but didn’t specify a timeframe or a quantity.

No word on foreign nationals: Securing an exit from Gaza for its foreign nationals has been one of Washington’s top priorities in recent days, a point that Egyptian officials said they would only agree to if Israel allows aid to enter.

NO ETHNIC CLEANSING –El-Sisi

El Sisi yesterday reiterated his opposition to settling Gazan refugees in Egypt, saying it would end the chances of a Palestinian state and create new security issues for Egypt and Israel. “What is happening now in Gaza is an attempt to force civilian residents to migrate to Egypt, which should not be accepted,” he said at a press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (watch, runtime: 18:40). “The displacement of Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt means the same displacement will take place for Palestinians from the West Bank into Jordan,” and a Palestinian state will become “impossible to implement,” he said.

Remember: His comments are the latest public pushback against pressure from Israeli and our Western allies to allow Gazans to seek refuge in the Sinai as the humanitarian crisis intensifies. At least 1 mn people have now been forced out of their homes.

Has Israel heard of the Negev? “If there is an idea to displace the Palestinians, then there is the Negev Desert in Israel,” El Sisi said. “They can transport Palestinians there until Israel implements its announced plan to destroy Hamas.”

A message: Egyptians will “go out and protest in their mns [at the displacement of Palestinians] if called upon to do so,” he warned.

SPEAKING OF PROTESTS IN EGYPT-

The National Dialogue has called for a mass protest tomorrow in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Nasr City, asking that people join the protest after Friday prayers. A statement (pdf) sent to reporters last night noted that the rally would underscore that Egyptians will “defend the security and interest of their homeland” and that we will back the people of Palestine “until they obtain their legitimate rights,” including “the establishment of their own independent state on their territories before 4 June 1967, with East Jerusalem as its capital.”

The rare official call for a protest came after thousands of protesters took to the streets in governorates and universities across the country yesterday in response to the hospital bombing. Students at the universities of Cairo (watch runtime: 2:25), Alexandria (watch, runtime: 1:59), Minya (watch, runtime: 1:40) and others gathered to denounce Israel’s actions in Gaza, while the Journalists’ Syndicate held a large protest in downtown Cairo (watch, runtime: 0:44). Demonstrations took place in Sixth of October (watch, runtime: 0:10), Ismailia (watch, runtime: 2:19) and elsewhere.

Israeli embassy evacuated:Israeli media have reported that the country has withdrawn its ambassador from Cairo and evacuated all embassy staff in anticipation of protests.
The US embassy issued a warning to American nationals about possible demonstrations in the coming days.

Protests have taken place across the region, including in the West Bank, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, and Tunisia.

HOSPITAL BOMBING-

The death toll of Tuesday’s bombing of the Al Ahli Arab Hospital now stands at 471 people, with a further 314 wounded, according to updated figures from the Palestinian health ministry. Reports in the hours immediately after the attacks had put the figure in the range of 300 and 500 deaths.

Biden said the US has intelligence that “the other team” was responsible, while a White House spokesperson said yesterday that satellite imagery and open-source information led it to determine that “Israel is not responsible for the explosion at the hospital.” Israel, which has brought hospitals under fire in previous conflicts with Hamas, said that a failed rocket launch by Palestinian Islamic Jihad caused the explosion, and released audio that it claimed showed two Gaza fighters discussing the incident.

No one is buying it in the Arab world: Arab leaders hold Israel responsible for the attack, and will not trust the narrative coming out of Tel Aviv and Washington until an independent investigation is held, Jordan’s foreign minister told NBC News yesterday. Arab leaders, including Israel’s closest allies in the region, universally blamed it for the attack and condemned its war in the strongest terms yet.

US UNMOVED-

A rhetorical shift from Biden? Only if you squint… Biden’s trip to Israel didn’t involve much of a shift in messaging from Washington, though there were oblique references to Israel acting outside of international law and the depth of hatred in Israel towards the Palestinians. For the most part though, the trip served to reaffirm his administration’s support for Israel’s war effort and will do little to calm the escalating tensions with the Arab world. Netanyahu summed it up after the talks: “In our meeting today, we agreed on actions that will ensure the continuation of our just war.”

US blocks call for a ceasefire, claiming it would disrupt diplomacy: The US yesterday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have called for a temporary ceasefire to allow the entrance of humanitarian aid. The US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, suggested that the resolution would have undercut current diplomatic initiatives and criticized it for not mentioning Israel’s right to self-defense. The US was the only one of the council’s 15 members to vote it down, with Russia and the UK abstaining and the rest voting in favor. The council had earlier blocked Russian amendments that called for an “immediate, durable and full ceasefire.”

The US is sending more aid (in a particularly lopsided manner):

For the Israelis: USD 10 bn, according to Biden administration insiders.
For the Palestinians: USD 100 mn.

El Sewedy’s copper manufacturer UMC in line for a USD 50 mn EBRD loan

El Sewedy copper unit lands EBRD loan: Elsewedy Electric subsidiary United Metals Company (UMC) will receive a USD 50 mn loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to finance its working capital, according to the lender’s website. The exact terms of the loan were not reported.

It’s all about FX: The loan will help UMC’s hard-currency working capital needs, supporting its ability to import important raw materials like copper cathodes, amid the FX crunch and inflating global commodities prices, the ERBD said. Many local manufacturers have struggled with soaring inflation, a weaker EGP and a prolonged shortage of foreign currency squeezing margins and curbing access to key production inputs.

The UMC and EBRD go way back: The EBRD has supported the copper rod maker’s working capital needs several times in the past few years, having loaned out USD 25 mn facilities in 2017, 2019, and most recently in 2021.

International development banks have become an important source of FX for local companies: The International Finance Corporation (IFC) lent local steel maker Kandil Steel USD 25 mn in September, to fund its working capital drained by rising raw material costs and reduced access to USD. Local pipes producer Egyptian German Industrial Corporation (EGIC) is also awaiting approval on a potential USD 50 mn EBRD facility for its operations and the Export Development Bank (EBank) is getting a USD 25 mn loan from the EBRD to provide FX liquidity to importers.

Spinneys Egypt opens EGP 50 mn supermarket in Obour

Spinneys sets up shop in Obour: Supermarket chain Spinneys Egypt yesterday inaugurated a new store in Obour, marking its first venture in the governorate of Qalyubia, the company said in a statement (pdf). The new EGP 50 mn supermarket “reflects our ongoing commitment to the Egyptian market in spite of the macroeconomic headwinds,” our friend Mohanad Adly (LinkedIn), the company’s CEO, told Enterprise.

Spinneys is on an expansion drive: The retailer expects to deploy an additional EGP 270 mn to open up seven more branches across the country before the end of the fiscal year in June. In the medium-term, Spinneys plans to open eight new branches every year over the next two years, Adly told us, adding that the company has stepped up its original plan of opening up five new stores per year.

Siemens, Intro Group to build power plants in Egypt, the region. PLUS: News from the SCZone, Cheiron, Qasatli, Mashreq, and EdVentures.

FINTECH-

Our friends at Mashreq Egypt are launching a banking services platform on the My Etisalat application run by the local e& subsidiary Etisalat Egypt, according to a joint statement (pdf). Dubbed e& Neo, the platform will allow Etisalat users aged 16 and above to open accounts with Mashreq Egypt without fees or a minimum deposit, as well as to sign up for co-branded cards. The partners plan to roll out a number of other banking services down the line, including credit cards, loans, certificates of deposit, and time deposits.

ENERGY-

#1- Intro + Siemens to build CHP plants in Egypt and the region: Intro Group subsidiary Intro Sustainable Resources will work with Siemens to build 300 MW of combined heat and power (CHP) plants in Egypt and the region by 2030, according to a press release (pdf). Siemens will undertake the technical studies and provide the equipment while Intro will be responsible for arranging the financing and the “comprehensive development”of the stations, the statement said. Enterprise was unable to reach representatives of the companies for more details.

What’s CHP? Combined heat and power plants use a fuel to produce both electricity and thermal energy. Steam or hot water that would otherwise be wasted is then captured and used to produce more electricity or used for other purposes.

#2- Cheiron is exploring for gas in the Med: Cheiron Petroleum, Egypt’s largest independent energy company, will invest some USD 160 mn in natural gas exploration and production in the West El Burullus concession, Asharq Business reported yesterday, citing two government sources. The company has begun drilling a series of seven wells in the area to explore for gas, according to the news outlet. Production is expected to kick off in 1H 2024 at a capacity of 150 mn cubic feet per day. Cheiron holds a 100% working interest in the concession.

MANUFACTURING-

#1- China’s largest cable manufacturer to expand SCZone factory: Chinese cable manufacturer Hengtong will invest USD 18 mn to expand its factory in the TEDA zone under an agreement signed yesterday at the Belt and Road Forum, the Suez Canal Economic Zone said in a st atem ent. The company will add 21k sqm to its factory in the Chinese industrial zone — almost four times its current size — allowing it to produce up to 2 mn km of cables a year. Hengtong manufactures power and fiber optic cables.

ICYMI- China is investing big in Egypt: Chinese and Egyptian companies signed a raft of agreements earlier this week that could see up to USD 15.5 bn invested in energy and manufacturing projects in Egypt.

#2- Sidpec partners with Nigerian firm on gas cylinder factory: Sidi Kerir Petrochemical (Sidpec) has signed an agreement with Nigerian gas infrastructure company Rungas to set up a factory for manufacturing LPG cylinders in Egypt, it said in a statement (pdf) Sunday. The plant will produce 1 mn gas cylinders a year for export. The statement did not provide a timeline or cost of the project.

DEBT-

Qasatli raises debt finance: Mortgage lender Qasatli has closed a EGP 159.2 mn securitized bond issuance, its financial advisor, EFG Hermes, said (pdf ) yesterday. The three-tranche issuance was rated between AA+, AA and A by the Middle East Ratings and Investors Service (MERIS). This is the second issuance of a EGP 6.5 bn securitization program being carried out by subsidiaries of Qasatli, Amer Group and Porto Group.

Advisors: EFG Hermes was the sole financial advisor for the offering, and Dreny & Partners provided counsel. CIB acted as the underwriter and the custodian.

DATA POINT- Egyptian companies have issued almost EGP 56.9 bn of securitized bonds so far this year, according to data tracked by Enterprise.

COMMODITIES-

Propylene to hit EMX this year: The Egyptian Mercantile Exchange (EMX) will list propylene on its trading platform before the end of the year, EMX chair Ibrahim Ashmawy told Al Borsa. Sources told the news outlet that nitrogen fertilizer could be added at the end of this year or in early 2024, followed by phosphate fertilizers at a later stage.

STARTUPS-

EdVentures invests fresh funds into two local startups: Education-focused VC EdVentures has invested USD 400k into Crafty Workshop, which provides business-oriented courses for craftspeople, it said in a press release (pdf ). The VC is also preparing to invest fresh funds into local online training provider Sprints, the release added. EdVentures is Nahdet Misr’s VC arm.

Both startups are part of EdVentures’ portfolio: EdVentures opened 2022 with an undisclosed investment in Crafty Workshop and participated in Sprints’ USD 1.2 mn series A round which closed last April. The VC also invested USD 1.1 mn into Egypt-born preschool education platform Jeel last year, on top of making a six-figure USD investment in student career advising startup OBM Education in August.

AVIATION-

Tourism Ministry extends charter flight incentives until April 2024: The country’s program of paying airlines per chartered flight landing down has been extended for another six months on the back of a 44% surge in tourism inflows, a cabinet statement said. The ministry is also planning promotional trips for social media influencers from Europe and will increase its spending on promotional campaigns.

LOGISTICS-

Bids for El Dekheila dry bulk terminal contract reopened: The Alexandria Port Authority (APA) will reopen the bidding process for a 30-year contract to build, manage, and operate a 300k square meter dry bulk terminal in El Dekheila Port, reports Al Borsa, citing a document seen by the outlet. Bidding companies are required to make an EGP 5 mn deposit to enter.Inquiries can be made on 15 November and bids from 20 December, the local outlet reported.

ALSO ON OUR RADAR banking China commodities Crafty Workshop debt watch Dreny & Partners Education EdVentures EFG Hermes EFG Holding Egypt-China relations EMX energy Etisalat Fintech Hengtong Intro Group investment watch M&A Watch Manufacturing Mashreq Bank Nahdet Misr oil and gas Qasatli securitization Sidpec Siemens Sprints Suez Canal Economic Zone venture capital

The conflict in Gaza continued to dominate talk shows

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s statements on the situation in Gaza during his conference with the German Chancellor in Cairo yesterday were the focus of last night's talk show coverage.

The displacement of Palestinains into Sinai is a red line: “Displacing Palestinians into Sinai means dragging Egypt into a war against Israel. Millions of Egyptians are ready to protest the displacement,” President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said during a press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Cairo yesterday (watch, runtime: 18:40). El Sisi’s statements to the international community received extensive coverage on last night’s talk shows, including Hadith fi Misr (watch, runtime: 3:47 | 3:03), Ala Masouleety (watch, runtime: 12:38), and Masaa DMC (watch, runtime: 6:53 | 5:56).

Egyptians took to the streets yesterday to protest the ongoing conflict: Talk show hosts highlighted the demonstrations that have taken place on Egypt’s streets, including those by members of the Journalist Syndicate denouncing Israeli aggression against Gaza (watch, runtime: 4:15 | 1:05 | 3:09).

US vetoes Gaza resolution: The talk shows covered Brazil’s draft resolution calling for a humanitarian pause in Gaza being voted down by the US in the UN Security Council (UNSC). Arab League representative Maged Abdel Fattah told Hadith fi Misr that there was no “Arab consensus” on Brazil’s resolution, but that a majority of Arab nations supported Russia’s draft resolution voted down on Monday (watch, runtime: 3:51 | 5:04 | 3:59).

Mo Salah appeals to world leaders: Football star Mohamed Salah has broke his silence on the situation in Gaza, appealing to the world leaders to come together and prevent further massacres of innocent people. His statements received coverage on Hadith fi Misr (watch, runtime: 2:03), Al Hayah Al Youm (watch, runtime: 00:51), and Masaa DMC (watch, runtime: 1:56).

Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley take a beating after 3Q earnings release

It’s been a tough year for US investment banks — not least for Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley: Investment banking revenues in the US fell over the last year and a half on the back of an industry-wide slowdown and successive interest rate hikes earlier in the year, reports the Financial Times. But for some investment banks — and for specific reasons — the last period has been even harder.

Morgan Stanley shares fell as much as 7.9%, after the firm reported (pdf) yesterday a net income of USD 2.4 bn in 3Q 2023, a 9% y-o-y decrease, reported Bloomberg. The slump was driven by slower growth in the firm’s wealth management business due to its exposure to the real estate market, but beat analysts' predictions of USD 2.3 bn.

Goldman Sachs profits slid on the back of the sale of its consumer lending ops: GoldmanSachs profits fell 33% y-o-y to USD 2.1 bn in 3Q 2024, largely driven by the partial sale of the bank selling off parts of its consumer lending operations, the company announced (pdf) on Tuesday. Revenues beat expectations, falling 1% to USD 11.8 bn compared to an expected USD 11.2 bn.

ALSO worth knowing about this morning:

Savola looking for Almarai buyer: Saudi food-processing firm Savola Group is searching for a suitor for part or all of its 35% stake in Riyadh-based dairy company Almarai, reportedly worth USD 5.4 bn. (Stock exchange filing | Bloomberg)
China’s economy beats 3Q forecasts: The world’s second largest economy signaled it’s on the road to recovery in the September-July period with 4.9% y-o-y growth, beating the estimate of 4.4% put out by a Reuters poll. While 3Q’s pace is much slower than the previous quarter’s 6.3%, it could put Beijing on track to meet its 5% growth goal for 2023. (Reuters)

EGX30	22,117	+0.2% (YTD: +51.5%)
USD (CBE)	Buy 30.83	Sell 30.96
USD at CIB	Buy 30.85	Sell 30.95
Interest rates CBE	19.25% deposit	20.25% lending
Tadawul	10,714	-0.2% (YTD: +2.3%)
ADX	9,484	-0.7% (YTD: -7.1%)
DFM	3,883	-1.4% (YTD: +16.4%)
S&P 500	4,315	-1.3% (YTD: +12.4%)
FTSE 100	7,588	-1.1% (YTD: +1.8%)
Euro Stoxx 50	4,106	-1.1% (YTD: +8.2%)
Brent crude	USD 91.50	+1.8%
Natural gas (Nymex)	USD 3.08	+0.9%
Gold	USD 1,961	+1.3%
BTC	USD 28,263	-0.7% (YTD: +71.3%)

THE CLOSING BELL-

The EGX30 rose 0.2% at yesterday’s close on turnover of EGP 4.1 bn (85.6% above the 90-day average). Local investors were net buyers. The index is up 51.5% YTD.

In the green: Alexandria Mineral Oils Company (+4.2%), E-finance (+3.4%) and Sidpec (+2.7%).

In the red: Egypt Kuwait Holding (-7.7%), Orascom Development Egypt (-5.0%) and Oriental Weavers (-5.0%).

My Morning Routine: Mohamed Wasfy, CEO of Right to Dream Egypt

Mohamed Wasfy, CEO of Right to Dream Egypt: Each week, My Morning Routine looks at how a successful member of the community starts their day — and then throws in a couple of random business questions just for fun. Speaking to us this week is Mohamed Wasfy (LinkedIn), the CEO of Right to Dream Egypt. Edited excerpts from our conversation:

My name is Mohamed Wasfy. I go by Micho and I'm the CEO of Right to Dream Egypt.Right to Dream (RTD) is an international football academy that was acquired by the Mansour Group in June 2021. RTD runs academies in Egypt, Denmark, Ghana, and San Diego. It owns a handful of clubs: FC Nordsjælland, which is part of the Danish Superliga, Tut FC in Egypt, and the MLS club in San Diego, which will be competing in the MLS in 2025. We just inaugurated our facility in Egypt last Thursday after using a temporary facility for over a year.

I’ve always been involved in football. Growing up, I always wanted to be a professional football player. When I was 17, I got a chance to play for a football school in the UK, but my dad refused to let me go. So after I graduated, I coached for nine years at my school — CAC in Maadi. I also played for AUC, where I was the captain of my team, as well as for the Heliopolis Club.

My journey to RTD really came full circle. Before I started work here, I worked in my family’s travel and logistics business for 17 years. When COVID hit, my best friend, Loutfy Mansour, reached out and sent me a presentation about RTD. He said, “I really want to do this, and I will only go through with it if you're on board.” Loutfy and I grew up together. We went to the same school, played football on the same team, and earned our school its first and only tournament victory in 65 years when we took first prize for ISST Varsity Boys in Vienna. Growing up, we always spoke about how we wanted to play professionally on the same team. We dreamed of bettering Egyptian football because we hated seeing our national team fail to make it to the World Cup. We knew we wanted to work together on that front in some capacity and that came to be with RTD.

At RTD, the emphasis on football and education is 50-50. We goall around the country, all the way from Alexandria to the villages of Aswan, to look for talented footballers — both boys and girls. We then assess them through football matches and give them cognitive tests to see where they stand academically. Those who qualify for our program receive full scholarships to join our academy from the age of 10 to 18. Our language school is certified by the Education Ministry. At the age of 16, some of our students go on an educational pathway in the US, where we have about 13 partner high schools on the East Coast. Then they go on to universities in the US, after which they can come back and work in Egypt or within the Mansour Group all around the world. Those who go on the football pathway end up playing in one of our clubs. In Egypt, the women's team plays in the premier league and the men's team plays in the third division.

I wake up at 6:00 AM and have breakfast with my kids and wife. Then I catch up on everything that's happening locally and internationally before I head off to work. I’ve been reading Enterprise every morning since its inception. It’s my source for everything I want to know about Egypt, and I’ve recommended it to many of our colleagues around the world. After that I go to Twitter for some more news.

Two books that resonate with me where I'm at in life right now are Legacy by James Kerr and The Second Mountain by David Brooks. The former delves into team culture, leadership, and how to instill certain values in your team. The second is more personal; it explores the quest for a meaningful life, emphasizing the importance of community and relationships. I also love movies and shows that have to do with sports and working hard to get somewhere, like Friday Night Lights, Varsity Blues, Moneyball, and The Underdogs.

I stay organized by keeping a to-do list that I fill out every morning and check off throughout the day. I also love to plan. I have all my meetings slotted into my calendar — weeks, sometimes even a couple of months, in advance. It really helps me manage my workload.

It’s important to pay it forward. I’m very grateful Loutfy vouched for me and gave me this opportunity, so I do the same with the staff members on my team in Egypt. Many of them are very talented, educated individuals who love football but haven't had the opportunity to pursue it professionally. And just like we scout for players, we identify talented staff who can add value to our organization.

The best piece of advice I've been given was by my late father: Hard work always pays off and God will always reward you for it. I've seen it first-hand over the last two and a half years. We worked very hard ahead of the launch of our academy in Egypt. I never imagined I'd be touring with the Prime Minister and Mr. Mansour, showing them the facility and explaining everything we do.

CALENDAR

OCTOBER

Late October-14 November: 3Q2023 earnings season.

20 October (Friday): S&P Global Ratings to review Egypt’s sovereign credit rating.

20 October (Friday): Deadline for applying for Dar Venture’s Dare incubator.

26 October (Thursday): Daylight saving time ends.

27 October (Friday): Deadline for bidding in tender for five solar plants on north coast.

27 October- 2 November (Friday-Thursday): Gouna Film Festival.

29-31 October (Sunday-Tuesday): Egypt Energy, Egypt International Exhibition Center.

29 October - 2 November (Sunday- Thursday): Cairo Water Week.

30-31 October (Monday-Tuesday): Intelligent Cities Exhibition and Conference, Dusit Thani LakeView, Cairo.

30-31 October (Monday-Tuesday): Global Business School Network, American University of Cairo.

31 October - 1 November (Tuesday-Wednesday): Federal Reserve interest rate meeting.

Signposted to happen some time in October:

Deadline for ins. providers to link their databases with the FRA
Egyptian-Jordanian Business Council, Amman, Jordan
Gov’t expects to finalize sale of Gabal El Zeit wind plant
October or November: Gov’t expects to finalize stake sale for military-owned fuel retailer Wataniya
Saudi and Egyptian officials will meet to follow up on the project to connect the national power grids of Egypt and Saudi Arabia

NOVEMBER

2 November (Thursday): Central Bank of Egypt’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

3 November (Friday): Fitch to review Egypt’s sovereign credit rating.

8 November (Wednesday): Turkish-Arab Economic Forum 2023, Istanbul.

9-15 November (Thursday-Wednesday): Intra-African Trade Fair, Cairo.

12 November (Sunday): Deadline for technical and financial offers for Misr Aluminium Company rehabilitation project (extended from 12 October)

14-15 November (Tuesday-Wednesday): Destination Africa, Royal Maxim Palace Kempinski Hotel.

14-15 November (Tuesday-Wednesday): Egypt VC Summit, Conrad Hotel.

15 November (Wednesday): Deadline for MTO to buyback Dice Sports and Casual Wear’s 46.9% Stake.

15-24 November (Wednesday-Friday): Cairo International Film Festival, Cairo.

19-22 November (Sunday-Wednesday): Cairo ICT, Egypt International Exhibition Center.

22 November (Wednesday): Deadline to apply to FRA for credit rating license.

23 November (Thursday): Worldview Education Fair, Cairo. (Register here)

30 November-12 December (Thursday-Tuesday): COP28, Dubai.

November: Bidding deadline for 5 gold mine concessions in the Eastern Desert (TBC).

DECEMBER

December: Kenyan trade conference in Egypt.

1-3 December (Friday-Sunday): Egyptian expats vote in the presidential election.

4-7 December (Monday-Thursday): Egypt Defence Expo, Egypt International Exhibition Center.

9-15 December (Saturday-Friday) :The Engineering Export Council of Egypt’strade mission to Saudi Arabia.

10-11 December (Sunday-Monday): eGlobe Expo, St. Regis Almasa Hotel, Cairo.

10-12 December (Sunday-Tuesday): Voting in presidential election takes place in Egypt.

12-13 December (Tuesday-Wednesday): Federal Reserve interest rate meeting.

12-14 December (Tuesday-Thursday): Food Africa Expo, Egypt International Exhibition Center.

20 December (Wednesday): End of sugar export ban.

21 December (Thursday): Central Bank of Egypt’s Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

Signposted to happen sometime in December:

Gov’t expects to finalize sale of a stake in military-owned bottled drinks company Safi
Gov’t expects to finalize sale of Zafarana wind farm

EVENTS WITH NO SET DATE

2023: The inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum.

2H 2023: Egyptian government expected to sign agreements with a consultant for the EuroAfrica electricity interconnector.

2H 2023: President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expected to hold a summit.

3Q 2023: E-Finance to launch in Saudi Arabia.

4Q 2023: EGX to launch its new futures exchange.

4Q 2023: EGX to launch a shariah-compliant index.

End of 2023: A Developments’ first phase of the Lazoghly development completed.

2024: Standard Chartered Bank to open a branch in Egypt.

25 February 2024 (Sunday): Deadline for bidders for oil and gas expansion in the 23 new regions.

Q1 2024: Opening of the new developed Pyramids Plateau in Giza.

June 2024: Gov’t expects to finalize sale of Beni Suef combined-cycle power plant.

1H 2024: Gov’t expects to finalize sale of four water desalination plants.

2H 2024: Gov’t to launch the Cairo Ring Road BRT buses.

End of 2024: The launch of the high-speed train line linking Ain Sokhna with Al Alamein City.

November 2024: Egypt to host the 12th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF12).

2Q 2025: Safaga Terminal 2 to start operations.

2024

JANUARY

7 January (Sunday): Coptic Christmas.

25 January (Thursday): Revolution day.

APRIL

6 April (Saturday): Coptic Easter.

9 April (Tuesday): Eid El Fitr (TBC).

25 April (Thursday): National holiday in observance of Sinai Liberation Day (TBC).

MAY

1 May (Wednesday): National holiday in observance of Labor Day (TBC).

6 May (Monday): Sham El Nessim (TBC).

JUNE

15-19 June (Saturday-Wednesday): Eid El Adha (TBC).

30 June (Sunday): June 30 Revolution Day (TBC)..

JULY

7 July (Sunday): National holiday in observance of Islamic New Year (TBC).

23 July (Tuesday): Revolution Day (TBC).

SEPTEMBER

2-5 September (Monday-Thursday): Egypt International Airshow, El Alamein International Airport.

15 September (Sunday): National holiday in observance of Prophet Muhammad’s birthday (TBC).

OCTOBER

6 October (Sunday): Armed Forces Day.

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