{"id":634204,"date":"2018-01-09T04:09:37","date_gmt":"2018-01-09T04:09:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2018\/01\/09\/2018-begins-on-a-high-note-for-egypt\/"},"modified":"2018-01-09T04:09:37","modified_gmt":"2018-01-09T04:09:37","slug":"2018-begins-on-a-high-note-for-egypt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2018\/01\/09\/2018-begins-on-a-high-note-for-egypt\/","title":{"rendered":"2018 begins on a high note for Egypt"},"content":{"rendered":"

2018 begins on a high note for Egypt,<\/strong> with record number of tourists visiting Luxor, flights with Russia resumed, and the inauguration of the Zohr gasfield, Gavin du Venage writes for The National<\/a>. \u201cFrom a macroeconomic perspective, things are looking up for Egypt, and the reform programme it has embarked on seems to be paying off,\u201d Mohamed El Dahshan, an economist with the Tahrir Institute, tells du Venage.<\/p>\n

<\/a> The Zohr gas field has signaled that the eastern Mediterranean has significant gas <\/strong>resources, but their development is being hindered by geopolitical rivalries<\/strong>, Andrew Ward writes for the Financial Times (paywall)<\/a>. A major part of the challenge is setting up the pipelines that would allow any gas developed in the region to reach international markets. Italy and Israel are considering a possibly unviable pipeline via Cyprus and Greece, in order to avoid setting up a pipeline via Turkey, which would have to pass through Lebanese and Syrian waters. Egypt, however, is going to have a much easier time exporting LNG to Europe and Asia through two terminals in the Suez Canal.<\/strong> \u201cThe incentives for co-operation are strong but so too are the barriers. As Egypt reaps the rewards of Zohr, its neighbours face difficult choices if they are to unlock the full energy potential of a region that has mixed commerce and conflict for millennia.\u201d<\/p>\n

Also worth noting in brief this morning:<\/p>\n