The Egyptian Cabinet issued a decision extending the deadline for receiving applications for the allocation of residential and non-residential units to tenants subject to the old rent law (Law #164 of 2025) for an additional three months, ending on April 12, 2026, to allow them to regularize their status. The decision comes in order to regulate the relationship between landlords and tenants, and in implementation of the provisions of Law #164 of 2025 concerning certain provisions related to rent laws. The decision also stipulates extending the deadline for receiving applications submitted by tenants or those whose leases have been extended and who are subject to the provisions of the aforementioned law.

With the 2026 World Cup in the US, Mexico, and Canada just six months away, national teams around the world have begun finalizing their friendly match schedules. The World Cup draw placed Egypt in Group G, alongside Belgium, Iran, and New Zealand. The Egyptian national team will play a friendly match against Spain in March as both teams prepare for the World Cup finals. The Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo reported that the Spanish national team will face Egypt on either March 30 or March 31. The newspaper added that the match against Egypt will not be easy, given the presence of Egypt’s captain and Liverpool striker, Mohamed Salah.

Meska AI has announced the launch of the second edition of its specialized event, “Meska Spark Vol.2,” scheduled for January 16, 2026, at the Creativa Innovation Hub in Dokki. The event aims to support the local artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem and foster the development of technology startups capable of competing on a global scale. Connecting Talent with OpportunityMeska AI aims to create an integrated ecosystem by connecting startups with top-tier Egyptian talent and major technology advisors. Applications, particularly from startup founders, are undergoing a thorough review to maintain high content quality and deliver tangible benefits. Following the success of the first edition, which welcomed over 1,000 attendees, Meska AI expects participation to double for this upcoming edition.

The Egyptian National Narrative for Comprehensive Development has revealed ambitious goals for the country’s tourism sector, aiming to increase tourism revenues to US$40.5 billion by the 2029/2030 fiscal year, RT reported on Sunday. The tourism sector witnessed a strong recovery in 2024-2025, reflecting confidence in its ability to become one of the most prominent drivers of the national economy and a major source of foreign currency. It also plan includes improving service quality, diversifying the tourism product, and focusing on high-spending tourists. Despite international projections of revenues reaching $19-20 billion by 2029, the national plan aims for higher targets by focusing on high-value tourism and increasing per capita spending, with official projections of attracting 30 million tourists annually by the end of the decade. Egypt seeks to solidify its position as one of the world’s leading tourist destinations, while boosting the sector’s contribution to the GDP, creating new job opportunities, and bolstering foreign currency reserves over the next five years.

Egypt’s Ministry of Local Development and the Central Agency for Organisation and Administration (CAOA) have agreed to establish an organisational structure for rural local units for the first time, Minister Manal Awad said on Monday. The agreement aims to create an organised entity at the village level to help maintain the achievements of the “Haya Karima” (Decent Life) presidential initiative, Awad said during a meeting with CAOA Chairperson Hatem Nabil. The meeting was attended by several officials from the Ministry of Local Development, including Hisham El-Helbawy, Assistant Minister for National Projects; Ahmed El-Saifi, Permanent Secretary and Assistant Minister for Institutional Development; and Naglaa El-Adly, Supervisor of International Cooperation. Also in attendance were Walaa Gad El-Karim, Director of the Haya Karima Central Unit; Sayed El-Badri, Director of Service Improvement; and Mohamed Kamal, Director of Institutional Development. Representing the CAOA were Heba Gad, Assistant Chairperson for Institutional Development; Eman Abdel Moneim, Head of the Central Administration for Institutional Efficiency; and Mohamed El-Husseini, Assistant to the Chairperson.

Egypt’s Minister of Labour Mohamed Gibran said on Monday that the ministry approved the disbursement of EGP 3.135m to provide social, healthcare, and accident compensation support to 443 irregular workers across 23 governorates. In a statement, Gibran said EGP 1.759m was allocated for social and healthcare assistance, including grants for marriage, childbirth, and bereavement, as well as support for major and minor surgeries, benefiting 264 workers. Under the scheme, EGP 200,000 was paid to each deceased worker’s family, while EGP 20,000 was disbursed to the injured worker, according to the statement. The support package also included EGP 156,140 to cover healthcare expenses such as medical examinations, treatment, laboratory tests, and diagnostic scans, benefiting 172 workers across five governorates. Gibran said the ministry will continue to expand social protection programmes for irregular workers nationwide, in line with government efforts to support vulnerable groups and enhance social stability, in accordance with directives from President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi.

He underscored Germany’s role as a key trade and investment partner and reaffirmed Egypt’s aspiration to expand bilateral trade volumes and attract additional German investments into the Egyptian market. The discussions focused primarily on ongoing arrangements for convening the seventh session of the Joint Economic Committee, including coordination on the technical and economic topics proposed for the committee’s agenda. El-Sherif stressed that the committee is one of the most important institutional mechanisms for enhancing comprehensive economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. Preparations for the Egyptian-German Business Forum, scheduled to be held alongside the committee meetings, were also reviewed. For his part, the German Commercial Counselor expressed Germany’s strong interest in ensuring the success of the upcoming committee session, noting that it reflects the solid bilateral relationship and the growing level of economic cooperation between Egypt and Germany.

Ministry spokesperson Hossam Abdel Ghaffar said discussions included a proposal to establish a centre of excellence for robotic surgery and joint replacement, with special emphasis on reducing and preventing surgery-related infections. The two sides also examined plans to set up a specialised centre for revision joint replacement surgeries aimed at improving clinical outcomes. The minister instructed relevant officials to prepare a comprehensive report on infection rates at hospitals specialising in orthopaedic and joint surgeries. In addition, the meeting addressed institutional training in robotic surgery and the potential signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two sides. Discussions also covered plans to establish a specialised training centre and a “Robot Academy” equipped with advanced simulation technologies for orthopaedic and joint replacement procedures, the ministry said.

Mohamed Salah El-Din Mostafa, Egypt’s Minister of State for Military Production, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to attracting further investment and forging new cooperative partnerships with state entities, as part of a broader strategy centred on localising advanced manufacturing technologies. The remarks came during an unannounced inspection tour by the minister of the Heliopolis Chemical Industries Company (Factory 81 – Military Production), one of the leading producers of specialised paints and chemical products in Egypt and the Middle East, where he reviewed the progress of production operations. During the visit, Mostafa toured the company’s production lines and received briefings from Mohamed Abdel Moneim El-Bassiouny, Chairperson of the Board, along with work teams, on the latest developments of ongoing projects, adherence to implementation schedules, and production and performance indicators over the previous period. He underscored the ministry’s firm belief that investment in human capital remains the cornerstone of the production process. Its rubber and plastics output supports a number of civilian industries, including the production of stadium seating manufactured in line with international standards set by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA).

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly witnessed, on Monday, the signing of preliminary financing agreements for the Energy Valley sustainable energy project, with investments approaching $1.8bn, on the sidelines of the inauguration of the first phase of the Obelisk Solar Power Project in Nagaa Hammadi, Qena. The Energy Valley project is being developed by Norwegian renewable energy company Scatec and is one of the largest integrated clean energy projects globally. The project includes the construction of a 1.7-gigawatt (AC) photovoltaic solar power plant, to be fully implemented in Minya Governorate. The company signed the land lease agreement for the factory on Tuesday and plans to supply part of its production to the Energy Valley project, as well as to domestic and regional markets. Separately, El-Mashat said international financial institutions have provided approximately $625m in concessional financing for the first phase of the Obelisk Solar Power Project, which was inaugurated on the same day.

Hisham Badawi was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives on Monday, securing 521 votes out of a total 570during the opening session of the parliament’s third legislative term. Badawi, the former head of the Central Auditing Organisation, defeated Mohamed Sami El-Imam, a representative of the Egyptian Social Democratic Party, who received 49 votes. Other candidates for the deputy roles included Sahar Atman, who received 87 votes, Islam Fawzy with 35 votes, and Awad Abu El-Naga with 21 votes. Out of 579 total votes cast for the deputy positions, 577 were valid, and two were void. The Speaker adjourned the opening session until Wednesday, when the House is expected to conduct elections for the boards of its specialised committees.

The meeting was attended by Yasser Abbas, Deputy CEO of GAFI, Karim El-Shafei, Deputy Head of ITDA, and representatives of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. El-Gossaki stressed the importance of integration and joint action among state institutions to achieve national economic objectives, underscoring the need to align visions and efforts between GAFI, ITDA, and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. He emphasised that working as one team is essential to improving the investment climate and streamlining procedures for investors. He presented a number of proposals aimed at facilitating investment procedures and accelerating company incorporation processes. The meeting concluded with agreement on the need to strengthen coordination among the relevant entities, with a clear delineation of roles and responsibilities to address existing challenges.

As Interim Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa welcomed a high-level Egyptian economic delegation, the atmosphere shifted from diplomatic formality to the pragmatic reality of industry and regional trade. “The relationship between Syria and Egypt is not a luxury; it is a duty,” al-Sharaa told the assembled business leaders. “The volume of trade between Egypt and Syria is approximately $1bn,” Ezz told Asharq. Agriculture: A strategic priority to lower food costs by creating a regional supply chain involving Syria, Egypt, and Iraq. A strategic priority to lower food costs by creating a regional supply chain involving Syria, Egypt, and Iraq.

As protests spread to 186 cities, the Iranian government has shifted its rhetoric from domestic reform to open accusations of a “terrorist war” orchestrated by the United States. A Humanitarian Crisis Under a Digital VeilThe human cost of the 16-day uprising is becoming increasingly difficult for Tehran to obscure. Washington’s War Cabinet: Cyber and Kinetic OptionsAcross the Atlantic, the White House is preparing for a pivotal meeting on Tuesday. The Speaker of the Iranian Parliament has already issued a pre-emptive warning, threatening to target US military bases in the Middle East if Washington initiates military action. The coming 24 hours may determine whether the crisis moves toward a fragile dialogue or an all-out regional war.

GB Lease & Factoring, a subsidiary of GB Capital—the financial services arm of GB Corp—announced the successful completion of a securitisation transaction involving part of its leasing portfolio, with a total value of EGP 4.16bn. The transaction was executed with the support of its sister company, Capital for Securitisation, and forms part of a broader multi-issuance securitisation programme. It further reflects GB Lease & Factoring’s commitment to achieving accelerated long-term growth and consolidating its market leadership. The National Bank of Egypt, Commercial International Bank, Suez Canal Bank, Arab African International Bank, and Banque du Caire participated as underwriters. Baker Tilly was appointed as financial auditor, and the transaction was completed with the support of Capital for Securitisation, GB Lease & Factoring’s sister company.