Egypt s foreign minister Sameh Shoukry stressed that the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories will undermine the two-state solution and lead to hatred and violence. The minister made his statements before the opening session of an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers, which kicked off in Cairo on Monday to discuss Washington’s changed policy on Israeli settlements in the occupied Arab territories. He reaffirmed that Egypt rejects all unilateral decisions on the final settlement of the Palestinian cause. Shoukry said Egypt’s stance on the settlements in the occupied territories is crystal clear, stressing that the settlements are illegal and contradict the international law and relevant resolutions, particularly the UN Security Council Resolution 2334 of 2016. The minister asserted that Egypt fully supports the Palestinian people in their endeavour to bring about fair and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution, the Arab peace initiative and international resolutions on legitimacy to establish a Palestinian state whose capital is East Jerusalem. The meeting, chaired by Iraq and attended by Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Abul-Gheit, was held at the request of Palestine with the support of the member states to consider the “serious” developments in the US administration’s stance on Israel s illegal settlements built on occupied Arab lands.

President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has ordered continued efforts to achieve a comprehensive development in Sinai through carrying out agricultural projects. The president made the remarks Sunday during a meeting with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and a host of ministers. Sisi instructed the bodies concerned to continue development efforts in Sinai to improve services offered to residents and provide more job opportunities, presidential spokesman Bassam Rady said. The meeting tackled the implementation of a project to cultivate an area of 400,000 feddans, east of Suez Canal, the spokesman said. The meeting focused on two important axes with regard to Sinai development, namely water resources and infrastructure.

President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi said on Saturday that the right to development is an inalienable human right, given its importance for improving people s living conditions. El-Sisi made his remark in an address during the 4th edition of the Africa Investment Forum 2019, which kicked off on Friday in the New Administrative Capital. Approaching a population of 1.2 billion, Africa provides a real investment opportunity, he said. The president applauded the wide participation of African states, global, regional and local investors, banks and financial institutions in the forum. "This wide participation demonstrates a genuine willingness to invest in Africa," El-Sisi saod, highlighting the continent s vast natural resources. Shedding light on ubiquitous development challenges in Africa, El-Sisi said that these challenges are not limited to Africa, neither do they provide any reason for concern, the present noted. We can take immediate steps to embark on trillions of dollars worth of investments in Africa, not just investments that are worth billions of dollars, El-Sisi said, urging all the forum participants to invest in the continent. "As state leaders, we are responsible for our peoples and for changing their lives for the better," he said. "We have the opportunity to do that," the president added. Confronting corruption While addressing a roundtable session of the Africa Investment Forum 2019 on the same day, he reiterated that Egypt will never tolerate corruption and corrupt people. The president stressed that Egypt confronts all forms of corruption through digitization and supporting anti-corruption agencies. He explained that poor management, education and weak political will are all forms of corruption, reaffirming that there is no interference in the affairs of anti-corruption institutions. El-Sisi pointed out that Egypt works to develop education quality and electricity through implementing digitization as soon as possible. He added that the state never allows to corrupt people to hold positions.

Egypt is set to launch its first-ever telecommunications satellite, TIBA- 1, on Friday, which officials say will be a major milestone that will see internet and telecom services cover the entire country. The communications spacecraft, developed by Airbus and France s Thales Alenia Space (TAS), will be key to enhancing the country s land telecom and internet networks, giving millions of people in remote and rural areas internet beamed down from space. Designed to remain in service in orbit for more than 15 years, TIBA-1 will be Egypt s first push into satellite-based internet services. There will be no such thing as "system is down," said Mohamed El-Qomsy, CEO of the Egyptian Space Agency. As Egypt presses ahead with efforts to promote e-payment, public electronic services and financial inclusion, expanding internet and telecom coverage to most of the population is crucial to pull off the country s digital transformation plans. "Once the [current land communications] system breaks down, there will be a second network to replace it. This means guaranteeing having a strong, secured communications network at all times," El-Qomsy said in TV comments. The satellite will also be key to boosting social development in the country of 100 million people, El-Qomsy said, citing promoting telelearning and telemedicine as an offset against under-resourced schools and hospitals, as well as offering strong telecom networks for the social insurance system. Weighing approximately 5,600 kg, TIBA-1 was flown to French Guiana last month ahead of its scheduled liftoff from Kourou on an Ariane 5. It has an electric power capability of higher than 9 kW. Airbus supplied the Eurostar E3000 platform and assembled and tested the spacecraft, while leading partner TAS designed and built the communications payload, featuring a dual mission in Ka-band for secure and broadband communications, Airbus said last month. TIBA-1 will occupy the upper passenger position in Ariane 5’s dual-payload configuration on the upcoming mission, launch company Arianespace said. The satellite is to be accompanied by co-passenger GX5, according to Arianespace. The satellite will help bridge the digital gap between urban and rural areas, and will contribute to the development of all government sectors, the Egyptian cabinet said. The satellite will also offer internet and telecom services to some Nile Basin and North African countries, and is the first in a series of TIBA Sat satellites that Egypt is planning to launch.

The highest authority in Sunni Islam, Al-Azhar, has strongly condemned a US move that effectively supports Israel’s building of settlements in the occupied West Bank, saying the stance is a "blatant assault" on Palestinian rights. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Monday a shift in decades-long American policy on Israeli settlements in the West Bank, claiming that they "are not, per se, inconsistent with international law." The declaration was condemned by Palestinians, Arab governments and the European Union. Al-Azhar warned of "the serious repercussions of those decisions,” which it considers as "a green light for the Zionist entity to build more settlements and commit further violations and crimes against the occupied Palestinian state." The decision is "completely inconsistent with the provisions of international laws and the United Nations Charter that acknowledges the illegality of the Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory," Al-Azhar added in a statement on its official website. Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which Israel annexed in 1967, have long remained an obstacle to a final peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians. The Palestinians want Israel to dismantle all its settlements in the West Bank, which they hope will become part of their future Palestinian state. The Palestinian Authority has called on the Arab League to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the matter, and Ibrahim Melhem, a spokesman for the Palestinian government, said on Facebook that the cabinet was due to hold a meeting Wednesday to discuss the consequences of the US decision. The move by the Trump administration is the latest boost to Israel. Washington recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2017, moved the US embassy to the holy city in 2018, and recognised Israel’s 1981 annexation of the Golan Heights, which it captured from Syria in 1967.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi met with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Monday at the Presidential Palace in Berlin. Spokesman of the Egyptian Presidency Bassam Rady said in a statement that during the meeting, President El-Sisi praised the recent advancement in Egyptian-German relations on all levels. According to Rady, President El-Sisi expressed Egypt s aspiration for strengthening the relations between the two countries, especially on the economic and commercial levels by maximising the volume of German investments in Egypt. President El-Sisi said that Germany is one of Egypt s most important partners in Europe, and that Germany currently has a chance to increase its presence in the Egyptian market and to take advantage of Egypt’s modern infrastructure and the improvements in the business climate. President El-Sisi said he appreciates that Germany returned the archaeological book Atlas Sadid to Egypt in October 2019. The book had been smuggled out of Egypt. The Egyptian president said that he looks forward to further cooperation between the two countries to fight the illicit trafficking of cultural heritage and artefacts. For his part, President Steinmeier praised the measures taken by Egypt in reforming the Egyptian economy, as well as the major national projects that are currently being implemented. The German president said that Germany is keen on supporting Egypt s development efforts in all fields through joint investments and exchanging expertise. He also praised Egypt s pivotal role in stabilising the Middle East and Africa, especially in the fight against illegal immigration and terrorism, as well as achieving interfaith coexistence and supporting peaceful resolutions for the regional crises. Spokesman Rady said in his statement that the two presidents also discussed a number of regional and international issues of common concern, particularly the Libyan and Syrian crises, as well as the Palestinian issue. According to Rady, both sides agreed on the importance of reaching a just and comprehensive solution to the case of Palestine in accordance with international laws and traditions.

The death toll from an electricity pylon collapse at the Seqil station in Osim village, Giza has risen to five after one of the injured died late on Sunday, according to the Egyptian prosecution. Four people were killed and three others were injured on Sunday after the electricity pylon collapsed, Egypt s Ministry of Health said in a statement. Seven ambulances arrived immediately after the accident to transport the injured to Osim Central and Imbaba hospitals. The injuries suffered fractures, cuts and bruises, said Khaled Mujahid, advisor to the minister of health and population and the ministry s official spokesman. Minister of Health and Population Hala Zayed directed the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health in Giza to provide all the necessary medical care for the injured, and to submit a detailed report on the cases of the injured and the medical procedures taken. Earlier, the Ministry of Electricity said that parts of the high-pressure electricity tower fell while being dismantled by a contractor. Some of the workers in the area were among the injured, the ministry added. The ministry added that the electrical network was not affected as the tower was old and unused.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi headed to Berlin on Sunday to attend the G20 Compact with Africa meetings, an initiative which aims to boost economic cooperation between Africa and G20 member states via joint projects that contribute to more growth in Africa. The G20 Compact with Africa was launched in 2017. Twelve African countries have joined the initiative: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal, Togo and Tunisia. Egypt currently chairs the African Union. During his visit to Germany, El-Sisi will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss means to boost bilateral ties between the two countries and also exchange points of view on regional and international issues of mutual interest. The President will also meet with senior German businessmen within the framework of Egypt s efforts to encourage investment and boost comprehensive development efforts. Last week, the Egyptian President and the German Chancellor discussed in a phone call ways to end the crisis in Libya and bilateral issues.

Egypt s President Abdel Fattah El Sisi arrived Wednesday in the UAE on a two-day visit. President El-Sisi was received at the Abu Dhabi International Airport by Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The two leaders exchanged friendly talks on relations between the two countries. According to the Egyptian presidency , the current visit of the Egyptian President comes as part of the special and strategic relations between the two countries and how Egypt and Emirates are keen to coordinate continually regarding the challenges in the Middle East region currently. El-Sisi is accompanied in this visit by Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, Planning Minister Hala el Saeed and Head of the Intelligence Service Abbas Kamel. Emirati News Agency "WAM" stated that Emirati jet fighters escorted El-Sisi s plane after entering the UAE airspace to welcome him.

Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly has issued a decree, No. 2731 of 2019, regarding amendments to the bylaws of Egypt s investment law. The new amendments include adding to the executive regulation two articles that compel local and private entities to submit all required data and information to tally Egypt s foreign direct investment (FDI) flows as well as indirect investment. According to the decree, local entities include ministries, public bodies and governorates, in addition to public legal persons able to accord licenses for enterprises to be established involving Egypt s Central Bank, the Egyptian Exchange, the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA), the Industrial Development Authority (IDA), and special economic zones. Private entities include all enterprises established in Egypt, whatever legal umbrella they are working under, in addition to venture projects that are subject to Egypt s investment law and contain a foreign share.

Egyptian participants in the ‘Terrorism and Human Rights’ seminar held in the headquarters of Human Rights Council in Geneva sharply criticised the silence of the international community against the countries that support terrorism in Egypt and the Middle East. The participants pointed out that terrorism puts a lot of pressure on the political and economic conditions in Egypt and on the human rights situation. The seminar was organised by the Egyptian Rights Foundation (Huqoqiyat) in cooperation with the Egyptian Centre for Strategic Studies (ECSS) and the Women and Development Association in Alexandria. Said Abdel-Hafez, director of the Development and Human Rights Forum, said in his statement during the seminar that the human rights issue in Egypt is witnessing remarkable progress. Abdel-Hafez said that he is one of those who believe in the need to continue discussions with Egyptian institutions to urge them to improve human rights conditions in Egypt. Noha Bakr, a member of the advisory board of the ECSS, said in her statement that the reform process in Egypt is facing many challenges, most importantly terrorism. Bakr warned that thousands of jihadists have moved into Libya, and that there is a threat that they may move into Egypt, and thus it is important to intensify efforts to secure the Egyptian borders. She added that the state is trying to fight terrorism by altering extremist religious discourse through measures like modifying school curricula and establishing an observatory to track deviant fatwas and opinions on the internet in multiple languages. Ahmed Eliba, an expert at the security and defence programme at the ECSS, said that hundreds of tunnels in Sinai that were used to smuggle weapons and terrorists into Sinai have been destroyed. Eliba stressed that Egypt has succeeded in undermining terrorism and that it will continue eliminating what remains of the phenomenon. He also asserted that the strategic plan that has been used to deal with the situation in Sinai focuses on both development and combating terrorism, and that Egypt is respecting the rules of international law and human rights values. Dina El-Sarafi, a researcher at the Egyptian Centre For Economic Studies, said that extremism and terrorism are a threat to social security and safety, and that terrorism cannot be linked to any religion and cannot be justified in any way. She stressed that eliminating terrorism is a social issue and that facing it requires the participation of all the forces and institutions of society.

Heavy rains are expected in several parts of Egypt on Monday, including Halayeb and Shalateen, Marsa Alam, the Red Sea governorate, and South Sinai, according to Mahmoud Shahin, the head of the Egyptian Meteorological Authority s forecast centre. Shahin warned of heavy fog during the daytime in Cairo and the Nile Delta governorates, though he ruled out the possibility of rain in these areas over the coming 48 hours. Shahin advised people to start wearing winter clothes starting next month, as temperatures are expected to drop greatly during this time of the year. Heading into the winter, temperatures start to drop significantly in Egypt by the end of November. The winter season officially starts on 21 December. Temperature forecasts in highs and lows across Egypt on Monday are as follows: Cairo: 30 - 20 Alexandria: 27 - 21 Nile Delta: 29 - 19 North Sinai: 27 - 16 South Sinai: 31 - 24 Upper Egypt: 32 - 19

Assistant Foreign Minister for African Affairs Abu Bakr Hefni discussed with Tanzanian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Damas Ndumbaro preparations for the fourth session of the Egyptian-Tanzania joint committee meetings in the first quarter of 2020. The Foreign Ministry said in a statement Saturday that the discussions are part of Hefni’s participation in the 18th meeting of Africa-Nordic foreign ministers held in Tanzania. They mulled the outcome of mutual visits of key officials of the two countries in 2019 and positive developments of growing bilateral ties in the recent years since the successful visit of President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to Tanzania in 2017. Both diplomats touched upon the means to foster cooperation in the fields of agriculture, foodstuff production, animal and fish wealth, energy and medicine, in addition to increasing trade exchange and investments under Egypt’s current chairmanship of the African Union. Ndumbaro stressed that his country is keen to cement ties with Egypt in all fields, praising Cairo’s support for the plans of Tanzanian government through Egyptian companies operating in the African country.

The foreign ministers of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan agreed on Wednesday to reach a deal over the filling and operation of a giant hydropower dam on Ethiopia’s Blue Nile by 15 January, the US Treasury has said. Following talks in Washington mediated by US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and World Bank President David Malpass to iron out differences over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, the officials said the water ministers of the three countries would hold four technical meetings in Washington. The ministers "agreed to work toward completion of an agreement by January 15, 2020," a joint statement released by the Treasury said. The World Bank and the Treasury would “support and attend the meetings as observers” and the ministers will attend further meetings in the US capital on 9 December and 13 January to assess progress in their talks, the statement added. Cairo fears the massive $4 billion upstream project on Ethiopia s section of the river would drastically cut its water supply. Ethiopia says the dam, which is about 70 percent complete, is central to its economic development and its plan to be a regional power hub. “The ministers reaffirmed their joint commitment to reach a comprehensive, cooperative, adaptive, sustainable, and mutually beneficial agreement on the filling and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and to establish a clear process for fulfilling that commitment in accordance with the 2015 Declaration of Principles,” the statement said. If the countries cannot reach a deal by January 15, they will refer the matter to their heads of state or government or seek further external mediation, under the terms of a 2015 cooperation deal signed between the three countries in Khartoum. “If an agreement is not reached by January 15, 2020, the foreign ministers agree that Article 10 of the 2015 Declaration of Principles will be invoked,” the statement said. "The foreign ministers reaffirmed the significance of the Nile to the development of the people of Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan, the importance of transboundary cooperation, and their shared interest in concluding an agreement”. Hours earlier, US President Donald Trump said talks he held with the officials of the three countries “went well.” Trump stepped in to help resolve the feud following a call by Egypt for a mediator after the latest round of talks between the three countries collapsed last month. Sudan has less at stake in the conflict. It looks to benefit from the power generated by the dam, which will also help reduce silt and sedimentation in the downstream country.

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, currently in the US, had talks on Wednesday with Chair of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary Lindsey Graham on strategic ties between the two sides. The talks also tackled the need for continued US support for Egypt to be able to confront security, political, economic and social challenges, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed Hafez said. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry is in Washignton, D.C. to take part in mediation talks on Wednesday between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan to break the stalemate in the dispute over the Grand Ethiopiian Renaissance Dam dam (GERD), which Addis Ababa is constructing on the Blue Nile. The Trump administration had invited the three nations to a meeting in the US capital to try to overcome the deadlock in the talks over GERD. The talks will be attended by World Bank President David Malpass. Shoukry posted Graham on the latest regional developments and Egypt s vision on means of handling the Middle East crises. He spelled out Egypt s efforts to realize stability in the region and confront what Cairo sees as the Turkish role in destabilizing the region. The talks also tackled the Ethiopian dam and Egyptian efforts to reach a deal taking into consideration interests of all parties. The meeting falls within the framework of a series of meetings which Shoukry held with US Congressmen. On Tuesday, Shoukry had talks with US Senator John Anthony Barrasso on means of promoting strategic ties between the two sides. The talks tackled the positive developments in Egypt in all domains in view of Egypt s efforts to turn into a regional energy hub in the East Mediterranean region. The talks also addressed a host of regional issues as well as Egypt s efforts to combat terror and realize regional stability. Shoukry underlined the importance of rallying up international efforts to confront terror-sponsor states.

President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi gave directions to keep up the efforts exerted by the Ministry of Education in line with the comprehensive plan set to develop the education system in Egypt. Such step aims to enhance the level of knowledge for students throughout all education levels, even after their graduation, besides finding means to unleash the Egyptian students potentials and talents, El Sisi said. The remarks came during a meeting held on Monday with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Minister of Education Tarek Shawki. The meeting took up the recent efforts made by the Ministry of Education to get a comprehensive and integrated system for the basic education stage in Egypt, Presidency Spokesman Bassam Rady said. This is part of the state s strategy to build the Egyptian personality in terms of academic knowledge and skills, Rady added. In the same context, Shawki reviewed efforts by Egyptian Knowledge Bank (EKB) to improve the content provided for all students at different ages as well as enabling its services for Arab and African students. Moreover, Egypt will benefit from international expertise in the field of education to accelerate educational development. The minister also reviewed the results of establishing Japanese schools in Egypt, highlighting that the Ministry has recently appointed 15 Japanese specialists to be supervisors and managers at Japanese schools distributed nationwide, to ensure sustained and stable education quality based on the Japanese standards.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi instructed the government on Sunday to launch the experimental stage of the second phase of the comprehensive health insurance system in Luxor and South Sinai governorates starting March 2020. During his meeting on Sunday with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Finance Minister Mohamed Maait, Health Minister Hala Zayed and Chairman of Administrative Control Authority Sherief Saif Aldeen, Egypt s president stressed on the significance of applying digitalisation procedures in the new health insurance programme. The Egyptian Ministry of Health began in September the implementation of the first phase of the new comprehensive health insurance system in the coastal governorate of Port Said The new system is scheduled to cover all of Egypt s governorates by 2032 through six phases. El-Sisi was briefed during the meeting on the procedures of implementing the first stage of the new inclusive health insurance system, which has been launched experimentally in Port Said governorate, El-Sisi s spokesman Bassam Rady said in a statement on Sunday. El-Sisi was also briefed on the availability of the necessary financial allocations for operations in the current stage, the collection of revenues and contract procedures, and the readiness of health facilities in terms of efficiency and registration with the Authority of Healthcare Accreditation, the statement added. The president directed the stakeholders to organise simplified awareness campaigns to publicise the details of the new health system. During the meeting, the president also followed up on the procedures of the full implementation of the March decision to raise the minimum wage at the level of government agencies and institutions. The finance minister explained in the meeting that most government bodies have already raised the minimum wage, while the rest are expected to enact the decision by the end of November.

Egypt aims to increase industrial growth rate to 10.7 percent by 2022, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced in a business forum, as the government continues to embark on a 2018 implemented action plan to boost the sector. Madbouly told Akhbar Al Youm Economic Conference on Saturday that his government is working on increasing the sector s growth rate from a current 6.3 percent in 2019. The government has paid great attention to promoting and developing the industrial sector, which currently contributes 16.7 percent of GDP, he added He said that the industry sector represents a key pillar of sustainable development, as attracting investments, increasing manufacturing capacity and competing in foreign markets remain issues of top priority on the government s agenda. Enhancing investment helps drive economic growth along with continuing efforts to improve the business environment, he stressed. Madbouly pointed out to economic challenges faced by the country in the previous periods, which necessitated the launch of a real economic reform program, which included working to modernize the infrastructure necessary for the development process through pumping more investments in infrastructure projects, the establishment of industrial zones and new cities, alongside other national projects of economic and social impact. The government program also includes several targets in the industry sector, including the expansion of the establishment of free zones, the establishment of 12 new investment zones, the expansion of integrated industrial parks and the establishment of 13 new industrial parks, the premier said

Egypt s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly witnessed on Wednesday the signing of an agreement to purchase energy to generate electricity from solar power under the BOO (build, own, operate) system at a cost of about $200 million in Aswan’s Kom Ombo town. The deal was signed by Sabah Mashaly, chairman of the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company, Rajit Nanda, Chief Investment Officer of ACWA Power, and Hassan Amin, the regional director of ACWA Power-Egypt. The inking ceremony was attended by Electricity Minister Mohamed Shaker, and Saudi Arabia s Ambassador in Cairo Osama Al-Nugali, among others. Shaker said the purchase price of electricity in the new project is 2.48 cent per kilowatt/hour, noting that it is the lowest price reached so far. Meanwhile, Mashaly said the agreement is part of the Ministry of Electricity’s strategy to expand in using sources of renewable energy to achieve 20 percent contribution out of the total power-generating sources by 2022. The project will contribute to creating about 2,000 job opportunities during the construction phase and 1,000 openings in the operation phase, in addition to attracting further investments and providing 920,000 tons of dioxide carbon per year, she added.

Cairo has said it has received an invitation, along with Ethiopia and Sudan, from the US for a meeting on 6 November to break the stalemate on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). At a press conference with his German counterpart Heiko Maas, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry gave the date for the US meeting, nearly a week after the country announced the Trump administration has delivered an invitation to the three countries on the deadlock. Shoukry described the idea of a mediator as a proof of good intentions, stressing that Egypt tries to cooperate and resolve all issues through its diplomatic and peaceful channels. It’s unclear if Ethiopia or Sudan will attend the US-sponsored meeting, as Addis Ababa has not been positive about the possibility of a mediation attempt. Shoukry has said that the idea of the mediator comes under the 2015 Declaration of Principles, signed by the three countries. Per the declaration, if the parties involved do not succeed in solving the dispute through talks or negotiations, they can ask for mediation. Cairo suggested in 2017 that the World Bank could be a mediator in the ongoing dispute; however, the proposal was rejected by Addis Ababa. Shoukry said he hopes that all parties, including private companies involved in the dam, function under one standard, and not “double standards.” "Unfortunately, we are monitoring some of the companies refrain from cooperation related to dam-building due to the lack of environmental, economic, and safety studies; while they overlook all of this when it comes to another dam, like the GERD, which hasn t provided such studies," Shoukry said. The minister referred to the matter as a “substantive” issue for Egypt, stressing that "it s not about development, it s a matter of life.” “The GERD issue is a scientific one that shouldn t be politicised. It should not be exploited to achieve political aims,” Shoukry said. His statements come a few days after Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed agreed during a meeting in Russia’s Sochi that the GERD’s independent technical committee should immediately resume its work in a more open and positive way. The $4.8 billion dam, which is being built on the Blue Nile near the border with Sudan, will be the largest hydropower project in Africa when completed in 2022, generating more than 6,000 megawatts of electricity. Tensions have been building up between Egypt and Ethiopia in recent weeks after talks on the technical details governing the operation of the dam failed to make progress. Egypt fears that the Ethiopian dam will diminish its water supply, which is dependent on the Nile, and is pushing for the dam s reservoir to be filled over seven years, while Addis Ababa insists on a three-year filling time. Ethiopia maintains that the dam, which is nearly 70 percent complete, will not harm the downstream countries of Egypt and Sudan.

Egypt s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi opened on Monday the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) in Sharm El-Sheikh, which is scheduled to last until 22 November. The conference, which is organised by the UN agency of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), is being held for the first time in 20 years outside the ITU headquarters in Geneva. President El-Sisi said that the conference reflects the evolution of Egyptian civilisation, and that Egypt is keeping up with and contributing to global developments. El-Sisi welcomed all the attendants and invited them to enjoy what Sharm El-Sheikh has to offer. More than 3,500 participants from 140 countries, including more than 50 ministers and deputy ministers from around the world, are participating in the conference. Houlin Zhao, secretary-general of the ITU, said that “the union was established in 1865, which is the same year when the Egypt s post service was established,” adding that Egypt is a long-time member of the ITU. The ITU secretary-general also said that the conference is being held in Sharm El-Sheikh given the security, peace and development Egypt has to offer. The WRCs are held every three to four years to review, and possibly revise, the Radio Regulations, the international treaty governing the use of the radio-frequency spectrum and the geostationary-satellite and non-geostationary-satellite orbits.