Archive for government source

Turkey immunizes loan to Egypt against judicial rulings

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December 27th, 2012

Turkey has immunized its US$2 billion loan to Egypt against variables such as a court ruling, said a government source.

The loan agreement also requires the Egyptian government to involve Turkish companies in public sector investment.

The source, who requested anonymity, added that Egypt would not be able to obtain international or regional loans before the International Monetary Fund decides on the US$4.8 billion loan that Egypt has requested.

Turkey is the only country that agreed to lend money to Egypt in advance of the IMF’s decision, of which US$500 million have already been disbursed, with the rest to be paid end January. The loan does not entail any special benefits.

The Turkish government has stipulated that any dispute over the loan would be arbitrated in Istanbul, in accordance with the rules of international commercial arbitration.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Categories Egypt Economy
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Morsy asks for official count of people with physical disabilities

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September 29th, 2012

An official government source said that President Mohamed Morsy asked the National Council for the Disabled to do a formal count of the real number of people with disabilities in Egypt, in order to assist their employment in the government.

The count willl identify the disability of each person in order to grant them jobs that suits their circumstances.

Morsy’s instructions came after a document issued by the National Council for the Disabled revealed that the number of people with physical disabilities in Egypt, according to a count performed by the World Health Organization, is about 13 million.

The official census of the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics say that the number is only half a million, something which is attributed by Safwat al-Nahas, head of the Central authority Organization and Management, to the fact that some families do not want to disclose that they have physically disabled children, for fear of society's perception.

Al-Nahas told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the National Council for the Disabled assigned the census to the Ministry of Administrative Development to be completed before the end of this year.

He pointed out that the council is currently considering issuing a new bill for the rights of the physically disabled in accordance with international laws.

Former Prime Minister Kamal Ganzouri established the council in 2012.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
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Govt says has no intention to abolish subsidies

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September 24th, 2012

Petroleum Minister Osama Kamal said the government has no intention of canceling  subsidies of petroleum products from which the poor benefit.

In an interview with state TV that was broadcast Sunday, Kamal said the government’s goal is “not to make money but to serve the citizen,” and added that the government is not planning to cancel subsidies. The minister added that the country’s petroleum and gas reserves are sufficient to cater to the needs of the country for the coming 17 and 20 years, respectively.

The state pays LE20 billion in butane gas subsidies and LE50 billion in diesel subsidies every year. The subisidies particularly benefit the poorest citizens in the country.

The 2012/13 budget allocated LE70 billion to petroleum products subsidies, down from LE95 million in the previous budget, which had risen to LE116 with actual consumption.

Kamal added that tourist hotels and private schools and universities will not receive subsidies.

A government source had told Al-Masry Al-Youm that Prime Minister Hesham Qandil presented a plan to reduce petroleum subsidies by LE25.5 billion.

The same source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, had said Morsy met with Qandil and economic ministers Sunday to discuss subsidies and specify a timeline for abolishing subsidies. The source added that the discussion focused on whether to cancel the subsidies in October or after the parliamentary elections.

The source had said Morsy gave directions not to increase the price of petroleum products and to ensure they remain stable after the system to reduce energy consumption is implemented.

The source had added that the International Monetary Fund was awaiting serious and effective steps made by the government to resume negotiations with Egypt concerning its request for a loan worth $US4.8 billion.

Edited translation from MENA

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Categories Egypt Economy
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Morsy holds ‘urgent’ meeting with Ganzouri Cabinet

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July 18th, 2012

President Mohamed Morsy began meeting with Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri and his Cabinet Wednesday afternoon as part of consultations over the formation of his own government, state-run MENA news agency said.

State-owned paper Al-Ahram described the meeting as “urgent,” adding that it may be followed, within hours, by the announcement of a new prime minister.

A government source told Al-Masry Al-Youm on Tuesday that the meeting would discuss economic, security and other issues facing the government, as well as follow up on Morsy's agenda for his first 100 days in office.

Ganzouri is expected to submit to Morsy a report about problems his government has tackled, as well as other outstanding issues, according to Al-Ahram. The report also includes timelines and financial plans for addressing those unsolved problems.

During a graduation ceremony at the Military Academy on Tuesday, Morsy said that the new government would be announced as soon as possible.

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Cabinet source: Governors will resign after new president is elected

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May 24th, 2012

The government of Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri and the governors in all governorates will resign after Egypt's new president is elected as per the Constitutional Declaration, said an official government source.

Voting in the second and final day of the first round of the elections following the ouster of former President Mubarak ended Thursday at 9 pm.

The final results are to be announced on 21 June.

Planning and International Cooperation Minister Fayza Abouelnaga said in a briefing Thursday that the coming president will decide whether the current government will stay in office, adding that the government continues to do its duties until the end of the transitional period late June.

Ganzouri’s government was appointed last December.

Parliament, dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party and the Nour Party, rejected the government's briefing, delivered by Ganzouri in February, in a cascade of procedures leading toward a vote of no-confidence against the government.

The military council made a partial government reshuffle earlier this month that included the ministers of higher education, culture and legislative affairs.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Hamas accuses Egypt of delaying delivery of fuel supplies

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May 8th, 2012

The Hamas-led government in Gaza has accused Egyptian authorities of hampering the delivery of fuel carried by a Qatari tanker bound for Gaza.

A government source in Gaza said Tuesday that intensive communications are currently being held with Egyptian officials to allow for swifter delivery of the fuel, which has been held up for 10 days.

The same source added that Egyptian authorities have yet to give  permission for the cargo to be transported to the Karm Abu Salem crossing.

Further delays will only exacerbate an already deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, the source said.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Update: Military council will not dismiss cabinet, says government source

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April 29th, 2012

Description: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gifA senior government source on Sunday denied reports that the military council was about to dismiss or reshuffle the cabinet in the next few hours, despite the People's Assembly speaker saying he had been informed by the military such a move was about to take place

The current government will only last until 30 June, said the government source, implying that such a move would be unnecessary at this point.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source added that Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri met on Saturday with Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, head of the military council, to discuss the crisis over his government and ways to contain it.

The source said Tantawi did not mention any dismissal or reshuffle to Ganzouri, and People's Assembly Speaker Saad al-Katatny was not present at the meeting.

Earlier, Katatny had said the Ganzouri cabinet would be dismissed within a few hours, according to a phone call Katatny said he received from a member of the ruling military council.

Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, made the decision, according to the SCAF member on the phone.

Ganzouri would be tasked with forming a new caretaker government and reshuffling the cabinet to replace ministers who have recently quarreled with Parliament, according to Katatny's account of the phone call.

Katatny's comments came during a meeting with his deputies who opposed his earlier decision to suspend parliamentary sessions until 6 May in protest of Ganzouri's government.

Katatny also said the council member told him the SCAF would issue a statement praising Parliament's performance.

Al-Masry Al-Youm had also been informed by its own sources that the military council will dismiss the government and change four ministers.

The standoff between Parliament and the cabinet has been ongoing for weeks, with the parliamentary Islamist majority repeatedly calling for the government to resign given its poor performance, especially in with regard to the economy and security.

However, the Constitutional Declaration designed by the SCAF and passed in March of last year does not give Parliament the authority to sack the government, which has been a matter of contention for Islamists who sense they took over a disempowered legislature.

Earlier today, Katatny vowed to suspend parliamentary sessions until next Sunday to prompt the government to resign, a move rejected by many MPs.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
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Govt postpones butane canisters-for-coupons program

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April 25th, 2012

The Cabinet has decided to postpone its coupon-for-canisters project for three weeks to further examine how the project will be implemented. The project has been developed to alleviate the current fuel shortage, and could help the government save nearly LE4 billion in annual expenses.

According to the new program, citizens are given coupons that can be redeemed for butane canisters. The aim is to ensure that the subsidized gas canisters don’t fall into the hands of black market dealers, who engage in price gouging.

General Petroleum Corporation Director Hany Dahy said Wednesday that in a meeting with Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri Tuesday with the ministers of petroleum and trade and representatives of different chambers of commerce, the prime minister said the government was not yet ready to implement coupons-for-canisters.

Ganzouri said the program’s implementation will not take place until a viable strategy for the distribution of the coupons is decided, to prevent black market dealers from also taking advantage of the new scheme.

Dahy told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the cabinet will also consider demands by owners of canister depositories that their compensation be increased.

However, a government source said the People's Assembly had sent a letter to the Cabinet asking for the postponement, and urging more deliberation and planning to avoid problems after the enactment of the new project.

The new scheme was supposed to be launched in early May. According to its program, a family with no more than three members would receive three butane canisters every two months, while families with more than three members would get two canisters.

The price of the canister would be LE5 for coupon holders, and LE25 for those buying without coupons.

Supply and Domestic Trade Minister Gouda Abdel Khaleq said he holds the Petroleum Ministry fully responsible for the delay in the application of the new program. The minister told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the Petroleum Ministry has not yet set the commission to be given to depository owners.

Abdel Khaleq said several parties are trying to thwart the project for political purposes. He said he believes Ganzouri to be fully aware of the Petroleum Ministry’s delinquency and other hurdles facing the program.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Categories Egypt Economy
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