{"id":568621,"date":"2020-01-29T04:19:31","date_gmt":"2020-01-29T04:19:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2020\/01\/29\/what-were-tracking-on-29-january-2020\/"},"modified":"2020-01-29T04:19:31","modified_gmt":"2020-01-29T04:19:31","slug":"what-were-tracking-on-29-january-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2020\/01\/29\/what-were-tracking-on-29-january-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"What we\u2019re tracking on 29 January 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

We have big news for you this morning, ladies and gents:<\/strong> Vodafone Group yesterday confirmed earlier reports that it was looking to leave Egypt and sell its stake in Vodafone Egypt to Saudi Telecom. The two companies will apparently be signing a memorandum of understanding that could lead to an acquisition (though we\u2019re not quite sure when that will happen).<\/p>\n

An announcement coming today?<\/strong> Youm7 reported<\/a> that Vodafone Egypt CEO Alexandre Froment-Curtil will today hold a press conference to address the announcement \u2014 and maybe to officially announce an acquisition by STC, if the company source that talked to the press<\/a> is to be believed. We wait with bated breath.<\/p>\n

The world\u2019s most prolific headline generator continues to dominate the news cycle this morning:<\/strong> President Trump yesterday unveiled his administration\u2019s long-awaited plans to make Israel great again. The proposals give Israel the all-clear to a large-scale land grab in the West Bank, and in return the Palestinians would receive international investment and be allowed to form a \u201cstate\u201d (emphasis on the inverted commas). We explain in this morning\u2019s Speed Round below.<\/p>\n

A bit of perspective courtesy of the <\/strong>New York Times<\/a><\/strong>: \u201c<\/strong>Rather than a serious blueprint for peace, analysts called it a political document by a president in the middle of an impeachment trial working in tandem with a prime minister under criminal indictment and about to face his third election in the span of a year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Speaking of which, the Donald\u2019s ongoing impeachment trial continues to spam our news feeds.<\/strong> Senators will over the coming two days debate whether to allow witness testimony after Trump\u2019s defense yesterday wrapped up their arguments. Trump\u2019s team may soon be looking for a plan B after Monday\u2019s potentially-damning allegations<\/a> from ex-national security chief John Bolton increased uncertainty about whether Senate Republicans would have the votes to block witnesses. The Atlantic definitely hasn\u2019t been shy about what it thinks of proceedings, calling the trial an \u201cabsurdity\u201d<\/a>, Trump\u2019s legal arguments \u201ckafkaesque,\u201d<\/a> and the Senate \u201cutterly ridiculous.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

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It\u2019s GERD deadline day (again):<\/strong> We have our fingers crossed that today is the day that Egypt and Ethiopia finally kiss and make up, as talks in Washington come to a close. The original deadline for a final agreement passed earlier this month when Egyptian, Ethiopian, and Sudanese officials agreed on the terms of the initial filling timetable for the dam. Technical talks last week produced what the Sudanese irrigation minister called \u201cconvergence,\u201d but as far we are aware there remained points of disagreement heading into the talks yesterday.<\/p>\n

Cabinet will today announce the winner of the Sixth of October dry port tender at its <\/strong>weekly meeting:<\/strong> It\u2019s looking like the contract is going to the Elsewedy-Concorde-AE International consortium, if reports over the last two days are to be believed (see here<\/a> and here<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Stuff you can go to this week:<\/strong><\/p>\n