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Monday, 13 Oct 2025

What We're Tracking Today
Egp Watch
M&a Watch
Real Estate
Real Estate
Also On Our Radar
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Trump lands in Egypt within hours for Gaza summit

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Today at a glance

1

What We're Tracking Today

Trump lands in Sharm El Sheikh in hours for Gaza summit.
2

EGP Watch

EGP weakens against the greenback after weeks of gains.
3

M&A WATCH

Midar in takeover talks with Saudi investor Sumou.
4

Real estate

Gov’t mulls low-interest financing for home buyers.
5

Real estate

Midar and Sodic to develop EGP 110 bn wellness-focused project in New Cairo.
6

Also on our Radar

Hyde Park plans to add 710 hotel rooms to its local portfolio over the coming years.
7

PLANET FINANCE

US banks to unlock USD 2.6 tn in lending capacity from deregulation push.
8

BLACKBOARD

Egypt to host 10 more foreign universities by 2027 as int’l players eye expansion.

Monday, 13 Oct 2025

What We're Tracking Today
Egp Watch
M&a Watch
Real Estate
Real Estate
Also On Our Radar
Planet Finance
Blackboard
Calendar
1

What We're Tracking Today

Trump lands in Sharm El Sheikh in hours for Gaza summit

Good morning, friends and happy Monday to you all. We have a brisk issue for you this morning led by the latest EGP / USD exchange rate fluctuations and real estate news. We also have plenty to look forward to today with the international summit on Gaza kicking off in a few hours.

PSA-

WEATHER- It’s another cool day in Cairo, with a high of 29°C and a low of 19°C, according to our favorite weather app.

It’s even cooler in Alexandria, with a high of 27°C and a low of 20°C.

HAPPENING TODAY-

#1- We’re hours away from seeing world leaders gather in Sharm El Sheikh for the international summit to finalize the Gaza ceasefire agreement. The summit — hosted by President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and US President Donald Trump — will see no Israeli officials or Hamas representatives in attendance, according to AFP.

The summit is the final step after days of negotiations, which ended with Israel and Hamas reaching an agreement to establish a ceasefire and end the war in Gaza. Under the US-brokered agreement, Hamas will release remaining Israeli hostages by midday today in exchange for Israel freeing more than 1.9k Palestinian prisoners, BBC reports. Trump is expected to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem early today before heading to Egypt.

#2- It’s day two of Cairo Water Week. The annual event to discuss innovative solutions for climate resilience and water sustainability kicked off yesterday at New Cairo’s Triumph Luxury Hotel and will wrap on Thursday. Expect a packed schedule featuring workshops, exhibitions, and sessions around adaptation to climate change, water resource management, nature-based solutions, and sustainable infrastructure. The event will also host competitions for young inventors and showcase new technologies aimed at advancing the water sector in Egypt and the region.

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi kicked off day one yesterday with a virtual speechdescribing water security as an “existential issue” facing the country, given that 98% of the population relies on “a single source that originates outside its borders: the Nile.”

El Sisi called out Ethiopia's recent opening of the Grand Renaissance Dam, which has caused flooding in Sudan and Egypt, and called for a legally binding water management agreement to regulate the operation of this dam. The river is the “shared property of all the countries it runs through and a collective resource that cannot be monopolized,” he argued.

On the sidelines of day one, the National Water Research Center and the Dutch IHE Delft Institute for Water Education signed a cooperation protocol to enhance research, training, and capacity building, according to a statement.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- The Energos Winter floating storage and regasification unit is a backup in case Israel — once again — cuts off gas supplies, Asharq Business reports, citing an unnamed government source. The newly operational 450 mcf/d Energos Winter is currently only running at a fraction of its capacity, processing only 70 mcf/d from its berth in Damietta, while the four other docked units receive the bulk of incoming shipments.

The unit came online just as the number of LNG incoming shipments dropped sharply — from a planned 19 this month to just six, a government source told EnterpriseAM last week. The previous month also saw fewer shipments received than initially planned amid falling domestic consumption. Egypt is now expected to import between 20 and 24 shipments during the final quarter of the year, compared to a previous target of 40 shipments, the source said.

#2- Egypt to head ISO for three years: Egypt has assumed the presidency of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) after securing the support of 63 countries, the Industry Ministry said in a statement. Chairman of the Egyptian Organisation for Standardization and Quality (EOS) Khaled Soufi will serve as president from 2026 to 2028, making him the first Arab and second African to hold the position since ISO’s founding.

EGX WATCH-

Shares of all listed cement producers closed in the green yesterday after the government unveiled temporary incentives to boost local supply. Sinai Cement and Arabia Cement both jumped the maximum 20%, while Misr Cement rose 17.8%. The sector, which has struggled with overcapacity and weak margins in recent years, could see temporary relief if the incentives lead to higher throughput and improved pricing stability.

REMEMBER- The Industry Ministry announced that factories increasing output this month will receive one-time discounts on fees tied to amendments in their production-capacity licenses. The measure is designed to encourage higher utilization, stabilize prices, and ensure adequate domestic supply. The move follows a July directive that gave cement factories one month to restart idle production lines as part of efforts to balance supply and demand in the local market.

CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

The NeoGen PropTech and Sustainable Smart Cities Conference will kick off on 15 December in the new capital. Some big names from the private and public sectors will be taking the stage to discuss emerging proptech trends, real estate sustainability, the importance of data and digitization, and more.

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

** 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 new investment windows across 28 priority sectors announced by the Industry Ministry in a bid to bolster local manufacturing. Check out the story here.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

Trump heads to the Middle East to finalize ceasefire agreement: US President Donald Trump is en route to Egypt and Israel to mark the US-brokered ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement between Israel and Hamas. The visit comes as the first phase of the agreement — including hostage releases and a partial Israeli withdrawal from Gaza — is being implemented. Trump will first visit Israel to meet with Israeli officials and address parliament before attending a Gaza-focused summit in Sharm El Sheikh which he will be co-hosting with President Abdel Fattah El Sisi. (Associated Press | New York Times | BBC)

We have more on that in the news well, above.

Meanwhile in Europe, Macron faces political turbulence: French President Emmanuel Macron announced a new cabinet as he and reappointed Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu face pressure to form a stable government and prevent another collapse. Lecornu, who stepped down last week before being reappointed Friday, now needs to rally support from centrist allies to survive looming no-confidence votes in parliament. With Macron’s popularity slipping and his coalition reduced to a weak minority, both opposition and allied parties have criticized him for refusing to scale back his agenda. (Bloomberg | Financial Times | Reuters | AP | France 24)

And, tensions are rising between Washington and Beijing: China has accused the US of escalating the trade war after Trump announced plans to impose a 100% tariff on Chinese exports and widen export control starting November, the Financial Times reports. China’s Commerce Ministry criticized the US for blacklisting Chinese firms and abusing national security measures, warning it would take “corresponding measures” if the tariffs proceed.

*** 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 our higher education sphere and what the Madbouly government is doing to attract more foreign investors to the scene.

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As the Sahel summer winds down, the Red Sea is just getting started. Say hello to Somabay, a year-round seaside escape where tranquil waters, world-class diving, kitesurfing, golf, and wellness come together in one breathtaking destination. This September, it also hosts the ITF World Tennis Tour, bringing world-class tennis to the coast. Somabay is the perfect next stop, a place where the season never ends, and every day feels like the first day of summer.

2

EGP Watch

EGP weakens against the greenback after weeks of gains

After weeks in the green, the EGP saw notable volatility on Sunday with the EGP / USD exchange rate approaching the EGP 48 mark, rising about EGP 0.51 during yesterday’s trading. Banking sources told EnterpriseAM that the fluctuation reflects natural market movements driven by supply and demand dynamics, particularly hot money outflows that tend to intensify toward the end of the year. A banking source explained that Egypt’s flexible exchange rate policy means such swings are normal as long as they remain within safe limits.

(Tap or click the headline above to read this story with all of the links to our background as well as external sources.)

The recent improvement in USD liquidity has come mainly from three sources — remittances from Egyptians abroad, higher tourism revenues, and temporary inflows of hot money, former Industrial Development Bank Chairman Maged Fahmy told EnterpriseAM. These factors created a USD surplus that eased pressure on the exchange rate and even allowed the EGP to strengthen slightly at times. But, Fahmy said, these are not the result of structural reforms that would have a lasting impact.

The real, sustainable drivers of a stronger EGP would be increased investment, higher production, greater exports, and import substitution, according to Fahmy. Liquidity built on hot money, he added, is unreliable. He described the current fluctuations in the exchange rate as temporary and said the recent movements do not represent a stable or lasting trend. He also explained why prices rarely decline when the USD does — importers and traders raise prices immediately when the exchange rate rises but are reluctant to lower them when it falls, as they cannot rely on short-term movements to plan future imports or open new letters of credit.

Al Ahly Pharos Head of Research Hany Genena said the recent volatility is a completely natural reaction to developments in US markets. He noted that Friday saw sharp declines in high-risk assets — US stocks dropped by about 900 points, cryptocurrencies fell 20-40%, and oil prices slid 3-4% — which likely triggered outflows from emerging markets, including Egypt. He explained that this does not reflect any negative sentiment toward Egypt but rather normal market rebalancing. He added that the turmoil originated in global markets and merely echoed in Egypt. Genena believes the USD at around EGP 46-47 remains reasonable for now and could even move toward the 45 mark if Suez Canal revenues recover in 2026.

Local gold prices have mirrored the USD’s movements. The local price of gold jumped 3.5% last week, in line with a 3.4% global increase, marking the eighth consecutive week of global gains. Every 10-piaster increase in the USD adds EGP 9-11 to gold prices, head of gold trading platform iSagha Saied Embaby said. With the USD once again nearing the EGP 48 mark, further gains in local gold prices are likely, supported by strong global momentum and renewed buying activity.

Fahmy added that while gold and the USD usually move in opposite directions globally, in Egypt they tend to rise together. Because gold is priced in USD, any increase in the exchange rate pushes local gold prices higher. In times of currency volatility, investors also tend to move toward gold as a safe haven, amplifying the price gains.

Global developments are adding pressure: The USD’s strength is also being supported by global developments, particularly rising tensions between the United States and China, an unnamed source told us. China’s recent threat of countermeasures against new US trade policies has created inflationary concerns that could make the US Federal Reserve more hesitant to cut interest rates, the source added. As a result, the USD could remain strong in the short term.

Hot money is still driving the market: Fahmy said recent volatility likely stemmed from changes in short-term capital flows or external obligations such as debt payments. The recent swing, he said, could easily reverse within a day, as such movements do not yet reflect a sustained trend. He warned that continued reliance on hot money is risky and that Egypt remains vulnerable to sudden outflows, as happened in previous years.

Meanwhile, in the debt market, the Central Bank of Egypt auctioned off EGP 116.6 bn worth of treasury bills with tenors of six and twelve months.

DATA POINT- The surge in USD demand pushed Interbank USD transactions yesterday to USD 458 mn, exceeding the typical daily average of USD 150-200 mn, according to Al Arabiya.

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3

M&A WATCH

Egyptian real estate developer Midar in takeover talks with Saudi investor Sumou

Saudi real estate investor Sumou Holding is in preliminary discussions to acquire Midar Investment and Urban Development, a government source told EnterpriseAM. The potential acquisition of the state-affiliated developer behind Mostakbal City could reportedly be worth USD 3.5 bn, Al Arabiya reports, citing an unnamed source.

(Tap or click the headline above to read this story with all of the links to our background as well as external sources.)

Midar? The developer, whose backers include state-backed heavyweights Banque Misr, the National Bank of Egypt, the National Investment Bank, and Arab Contractors, is behind two major urban projects east of Cairo, Mostakbal City and Mada City, spanning a combined 11k feddans near the new capital.

Sumou is no stranger to Egypt — or Midar for that matter. It was announced just last month that Midar and Sumou Holding, via its subsidiary Adeer International, are part of a consortium looking into setting up a USD 1 bn Downtown Cairo redevelopment project. The same consortium is also working on hospitality and leisure projects along the Nile in Cairo and in Midar-developed new cities with investments of USD 2 bn, while the two companies are also partnering on a EGP 70 bn mixed-use project in Mostakbal City.

Sumou is also looking to set up itsfirst real estate fund in Egypt and funnel SAR 2 bn intothe local real estatemarket over the next five years.

Unconfirmed reports out just yesterday also claim the two will invest USD 2 bn in six Downtown Cairo hotels as part of a wider consortium, with an official announcement and finalized details expected within a month, once legal procedures and land allocation are completed, Mubasher reports, citing an unnamed source.

The consortium is negotiating for land and assets for the project that are owned by the state, making it more than likely that the project is part of the Sovereign Fund of Egypt’s plans to offer up Downtown assets — including the Ministries Square area — to private investment. The fund’s plans are part of the government assets privatization and redevelopment, which follows the government’s relocation to the new capital.

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4

Real estate

Midar and Sodic to develop EGP 110 bn wellness-focused project in New Cairo

Midar, Sodic to build EGP 110 bn wellness city: Midar for Investment and Urban Development has signed a partnership agreement with Sodic to develop Egypt’s first fully integrated wellness and sustainable residential project in New Cairo’s Mada City with total investments of EGP 110 bn, according to a company statement.

(Tap or click the headline above to read this story with all of the links to our background as well as external sources.)

The details: Under the agreement, Sodic will develop a 500-feddan plot under a revenue-sharing model. The project is Midar’s second major partnership in Mada in less than eight months.

REMEMBER- Emaar Misr inked a strategic partnership agreement with Midar in February to set up the EGP 100 bn New Mivida residential project in New Cairo. Midar is expected to complete the construction on half of the project within three years.

What they said: “This partnership supports Sodic’s expansion strategy in East Cairo, where we have operated since 2008 with over 5k units delivered across three major projects, alongside our ongoing Sodic East development in partnership with Heliopolis Housing & Development. This collaboration marks a new milestone for Sodic, creating an integrated urban community that reflects our commitment to delivering high-quality, sustainable neighborhoods, where wellness serves as the foundation not just an amenity,” Sodic General Manager Ayman Amer said.

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5

Real estate

Egypt mulls low-interest financing for home buyers

The government is studying a number of proposed low-interest financing initiatives intended for prospective buyers in the real estate market, a government source told EnterpriseAM. The move would help keep demand healthy — and, importantly, liquidity in play — until the central bank lowers interest rates to 15.00-16.00%, down from the current 21.00% overnight deposit rate, we were told.

(Tap or click the headline above to read this story with all of the links to our background as well as external sources.)

The Real Estate Developers Chamber proposed rates between 8-12% depending on property size, an industry source told us. The proposals being studied by the Madbouly cabinet include setting interest rates at 8% for units under 100 sqm to encourage youth homeownership, 10% for residential units up to 150 sqm, and 12% for villas and luxury housing. The study was “well-received” by the cabinet.

After a bumper two years, the sector is in need of a lot of liquidity to be able to meet delivery deadlines, we were told. The introduction of new financing initiatives would help boost liquidity and enable developers to meet their commitments, our source added. Another strain on developers that this would address is cancellations from customers, the source added.

One option is that the Finance Ministry would cover the interest rate difference, while another is that the banking sector absorbs it without burdening the state budget, the government source said, noting that the proposal is still under study.

The initiative would also come in addition to other government support measures, including incentives for construction equipment, machinery, and building materials manufacturing — all aimed at enabling better housing unit pricing and supporting mortgage finance companies, the source added.

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6

Also on our Radar

Hyde Park plans to add 710 hotel rooms to its local portfolio over the coming years

HOSPITALITY-

Property developer Hyde Park plans to invest USD 630 mn in the next five years to build 710 hotel rooms in the North Coast and New Cairo as it aims to diversify its income streams, CEO Amin Serag told Asharq Business. Two hotels under construction on the North Coast will have 310 rooms, with one expected to open in summer 2026. Another two hotels for its Hyde Park project in New Cairo are currently in the design phase, which will together add 400 rooms.

(Tap or click the headline above to read this story with all of the links to our background as well as external sources.)

The company also plans to reveal its first project in Saudi Arabia in 1H 2026, with negotiations ongoing for three land plots in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al Khobar. It is also exploring an expansion to the Iraqi market.

M&A WATCH-

Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ’s Alpha Oryx trimmed its stake in CIB to 15.7%, down from 18.1%, according to an EGX disclosure (pdf). The firm sold 73.5 mn shares of its stake in the country’s largest listed business by market cap in a block transaction valued at EGP 7.1 bn, or EGP 96.50 per share.

Alpha Oryx will remain the lender’s largest shareholder even if it turns out one of the other shareholders was buying, with 7.4% owned by the National Organization for Social Ins., 6.3% owned by Fairfax Financial Holdings, and 68.2% in freefloat, according to the bank’s website.

Shares of CIB fell 1.8% on the first day of trading following the news, finishing yesterday at EGP 104.1 a share. Despite the recent fall, shares are still up 32.6% from the start of the year.

REAL ESTATE-

Real estate developer The Marq launched a EGP 30 bn integrated business development in New Cairo called Inplace, the company said in a statement (pdf). The 20-feddan project features four districts — Grand Place, Art Place, Nature Place, and Technology Place — offering over 2k serviced business suites ranging between 45-750 sqm. The project will also feature gyms, banks, a supermarket, recreational areas, and rooftop restaurants.

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7

PLANET FINANCE

US deregulation could free up USD 2.6 tn in lending capacity for its banks

US banks are poised for a sweeping relaxation of capital regulations that could unlock USD 2.6 tn in lending capacity, the Financial Times reports, citing an Alvarez & Marsal report. The consultancy estimates the move will free up USD 140 bn in capital for Wall Street lenders, marking a significant shift toward deregulation under President Donald Trump’s administration.

(Tap or click the headline above to read this story with all of the links to our background as well as external sources.)

What to expect: The push to ease banking rules — led by Federal Reserve vice-chair Michelle Bowman — will include reducing requirements for high-quality capital, adjusting extra buffers for major banks, and overhauling annual stress tests. Alvarez & Marsal forecasts these changes to cut common equity tier one requirements by 14%, which could boost earnings per share by 35%.

The rationale: Washington’s renewed bank-friendly stance reverses many of the post-2008 crisis safeguards. The loosening of rules aims to strengthen large US banks, enabling them to redirect lending capacity toward sectors driving the US investment boom, such as AI, data centers, and energy infrastructure, while returning more capital to shareholders, Oliver Wyman’s Huw van Steenis told the FT.

The overhaul is a significant reversal for major banks, which had been facing a proposed 19% hike in 2023 under the “Basel Endgame” rules drafted during the Biden administration, Reuters reports. That plan, which had sparked unprecedented pushback from Wall Street, was never finalized and was abandoned following President Donald Trump’s election.

JPMorgan leads the pack: JPMorgan Chase is set to gain the most from the rule changes, with USD 39 bn in freed-up capital. Its earnings per share could rise by 31%, while return on equity may increase by 7%, according to the report.

Not everyone is following suit: While the UK is expected to reduce its bank capital requirements by 8%, the EU and Switzerland are moving to tighten regulations. EU banks could see a 1% increase in capital requirements, and Swiss banks up to 33% — potentially forcing UBS to raise as much as USD 26 bn after its Credit Suisse rescue. This split will “drive a further market share gain by US banks and the UK will just about hold its market share, while the Swiss and the EU banks will lose more ground,” Alvarez & Marsal’s Fernando de la Mora told the FT.

MARKETS THIS MORNING-

Flaring trade tensions between the US and China are weighing down Asian markets this morning, with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng down 2.2%, the Shanghai Composite down 1.2%, and Japan’s Nikkei down 1%. Meanwhile, Wall Street futures are in the green, recovering after Trump signaled on social media he might not follow through with China tariff threats.

EGX30

37,379

0.0% (YTD: +25.7%)

USD (CBE)

Buy 47.81

Sell 47.95

USD (CIB)

Buy 47.84

Sell 47.94

Interest rates (CBE)

21.00% deposit

22.00% lending

Tadawul

11,494

-0.8% (YTD: -4.5%)

ADX

10,114

-0.3% (YTD: +7.4%)

DFM

5,982

+0.4% (YTD: +16.0%)

S&P 500

6,553

-2.7% (YTD: +11.4%)

FTSE 100

9,427

-0.9% (YTD: +15.4%)

Euro Stoxx 50

5,531

-1.7% (YTD: +13.0%)

Brent crude

USD 62.73

-3.8%

Natural gas (Nymex)

USD 3.11

-5.0%

Gold

USD 4,000

+0.7%

BTC

USD 114,973

+3.7% (YTD: +22.9%)

S&P Egypt Sovereign Bond Index

944.36

+0.1% (YTD: +21.5%)

S&P MENA Bond & Sukuk

150.97

+0.2% (YTD: +7.9%)

VIX (Volatility Index)

21.66

+31.8% (YTD: +24.8%)

THE CLOSING BELL-

The EGX30 was unchanged at yesterday’s close on turnover of EGP 5.1 bn (12.6% above the 90-day average). International investors were the sole net buyers. The index is up 25.7% YTD.

In the green: Arabian Cement (+20.0%), Misr Cement (+17.8%), and Qalaa Holdings (+10.4%).

In the red: CIB (-1.8%), Credit Agricole (-1.5%), and Oriental Weavers (-1.5%).

CORPORATE ACTIONS-

E-finance’s general assembly approved distributing dividends of EGP 0.174 per share on its 1H 2025 earnings, according to a disclosure (pdf) to the EGX.

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Our weekly deep dive into education in Egypt, from K-12 to post-secondary.

Published every Monday in EnterpriseAM.

Read Blackboard
8

BLACKBOARD

Egypt to host 10 more foreign universities by 2027 as int’l players eye expansion

Private education investment at home has slowed, but foreign interest appears to be picking up: Private investment in Egypt’s higher education sector has slowed over the past two years on the back of high land costs and weak returns, sources told EnterpriseAM. Local regulations requiring private universities to collect tuition in EGP have further weighed on profitability, but foreign universities appear largely immune to these challenges and seem to find the Egyptian market attractive for establishing regional branches.

(Tap or click the headline above to read this story with all of the links to our background as well as external sources.)

By the 2026-2027 academic year, Egypt could host 19 international university branches, up from the nine already operating today, a government source told us. Already, existing institutions have succeeded in reducing the need for Egyptians to travel abroad for quality education, we were told.

Just last week, the Madbouly cabinet approved two new foreign universities opening their doors here by establishing the Capital Universities Foundation in the New Administrative Capital to host branches of Queen Margaret University and Edinburgh Napier University.

The approvals for Edinburgh Napier and Queen Margaret followed a year of high-level talks with several ranked global institutions, the UK’s Essex University, Aberdeen University, and Exeter University, in addition to Portugal’s Aveiro University, and several French universities. The UK’s Anglia Ruskin University also inked a cooperation agreement with Universities of Canada in Egypt to establish an overseas branch last month. Sources credited Egypt’s recent curriculum upgrades — aligning local standards with global benchmarks — as a key driver of interest.

The government sees internationalization as not just an investment play but also a way to boost education quality and foreign student numbers. Since the internationalization strategy launched in 2020, Egypt has attracted 125k foreign students — a number that continues to grow thanks to expanding partnerships with global universities, according to the source. These branches have drawn students from neighboring countries, offering access to international-level programs without leaving the region.

The government is focused on bringing in top-ranked global universities to exchange expertise and deliver modern curricula, Higher Education Ministry Spokesman Adel Abdel Ghaffar said. He added that supporting the expansion of prestigious foreign universities in Egypt is key to increasing graduate competitiveness and advancing the country’s higher education sector. Local universities are also striking dual-degree partnerships with international institutions to fuel competition and enhance academic standards, he added.

The Administrative Capital for Urban Development has been instrumental in attracting new branches by allowing investors to pay land installments over time, reducing upfront cost burdens, Universities of Canada CEO Magdy Elkady told EnterpriseAM. The company has also eased late-payment fines for some institutions, boosting appetite among international universities.

Branch campuses in Egypt deliver the same quality as their home institutions, though some families still prefer sending their children abroad for exposure to Western culture, Elkady said. Egypt’s private higher-ed market has become intensely competitive as the number of universities grows — a dynamic that’s pushing institutions to improve quality, Elkady told us.

Despite strong momentum, legislative hurdles remain, including requirements for foreign universities to partner with local hosts and the government’s right to shutter campuses over compliance issues. A source at one international university previously told EnterpriseAM that amendments would allow more flexibility and unlock faster growth.

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CALENDAR

OCTOBER

12-16 October (Sunday-Thursday): Cairo Water Week, Cairo.

19-20 October (Sunday-Monday): Egypt to host the fifth edition of the Aswan Forum.

19-22 October (Sunday-Wednesday): Arab African Investment and International Cooperation Summit.

22 October (Wednesday): Egypt-EU Summit, Brussels, Belgium.

23-25 October (Thursday-Saturday): Stone Africa Expo, Cairo International Conference Center.

28 October (Tuesday): BEBA’s working dinner with Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk and Investment Minister Hassan El Khatib.

October: The third iteration of the Export Smart Exhibition and Conference.

October: The tenth session of the Egyptian-Lebanese Joint Higher Committee.

Mid-October: Capmas to publish the findings of its 2023-2024 income and expenditure survey.

NOVEMBER

1 November (Saturday): The official opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum.

16-19 November (Sunday-Wednesday): Cairo ICT 2025, Egypt International Exhibition Center

20 November (Thursday): Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

23-25 November (Sunday-Tuesday): NEBU Expo 2025 gold and jewelry exhibition, Egypt International Exhibitions Center, New Cairo.

November: Egypt to join the EU’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program.

DECEMBER

1-4 December: Egypt Defence Expo (EDEX), Egypt International Exhibition Center.

4-7 December (Thursday-Sunday): Egy Stitch & Tex Expo 2025, Cairo International Conference Center.

25 December: (Thursday): Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

EVENTS WITH NO SET DATE

Mid-2025: EGX launches sustainability index.

December: Germany’s North Rhine-Westphala business delegation to land in Egypt.

3Q 2025: Nasr Automotive begins locally manufacturing passenger cars.

3Q 2025: Polaris Parks to finalize contracts for two new industrial zones in the new capital and Sadat City.

Mid-2025: The Administrative Capital for Urban Developments to roll out the second phase of offering industrial plots to investors

2H 2025: Potential visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Egypt

4Q 2025: The beginning of construction works on China’s State Grid two solar projects.

4Q 2025: GB Auto starts assembling one of China’s Great Wall Motor models in 4Q 2025.

4Q 2025-1Q 2026: Kasrawy Group to launch first Avatr EV models in Egypt.

2025: The InterAcademy Partnership assembly.

2025: Nile Basin States Summit, Cairo, Egypt.

2025: Release of the government’s Startup Charter document.

Before 2025-end: The government will launch two ro-ro shipping lines with Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

2026

Early 2026: Passenger operations on the New Administrative Capital–Nasr City monorail scheduled to begin.

1Q 2026: Trial operations for the Ain Sokhna–Sixth of October section of Egypt’s first high-speed rail line scheduled to begin.

1 January: European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to fully come into effect.

10-12 February (Tuesday-Thursday): Gitex Global’s AI Everything Middle East & Africa Summit

15 March 2026: IMF to hold its seventh review of Egypt’s USD 8 bn EFF arrangement.

May 2026: End of extension for developers on 15% interest rates for land installment payments

15 September 2026: IMF to hold its eighth review of Egypt’s USD 8 bn EFF arrangement.

2H 2026: Operations at Deli Glass Co’s new USD 70 mn glassware factory kick off.

2027

20 January-7 February: Egypt to host the African Games.

April 2027: Tenth of Ramadan dry port and logistics hub to begin operations.

https://entlaq.com/events/2

EVENTS WITH NO SET DATE

2027: Egypt to host EBRD’s annual meetings for 2027.

End of 2027: Trial operations at the Dabaa nuclear power plant expected to take place.

September 2028: First unit of the Dabaa nuclear power plant begins operations.

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