LONDON: An unprecedented eight teams from the Arab region will participate at the 2026 World Cup. The expanded 48-nation tournament means that there are 32 places available in the knockout stages. Arab News tries to predict the unpredictable and rank their chances to get out of their groups. Morocc»»»

Minister of Planning and Economic Development Ahmed Rostom said Egypt plays a pivotal role in advancing economic development efforts at the regional level through its co-chairmanship, alongside Italy, of the Governance Program under the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) »»»

Saudi Arabia's Ports Authority (Mawani) has added a new shipping service operated by Emirates Shipping Line at Jeddah Islamic Port, linking the Kingdom's largest Red Sea port with India and Djibouti as part of efforts to strengthen trade connectivity and logistics services. The new service will con»»»

RIYADH: Qatar’s non-energy private sector continued to feel the impacts of the regional conflict in May, as new business inflows fell sharply, according to S&P Global. The country’s Purchasing Managers’ Index dropped to 45.9 in May from 46.4 in April, pointing to a deterioration in business conditi»»»

TOKYO: Egypt ‌is finalizing plans for its first yen-denominated bond sale in three years, ​Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told Reuters on a trip to Japan on Thursday. The African Development Bank said in December it would partially guarantee Cairo’s planned $500 million-equivalent Samurai bonds on»»»

Research Science Investment (RSI), UAE, hosted a distinguished cultural celebration at Mohammed VI Tower, one of Morocco’s most iconic landmarks and the tallest tower in Africa, to honor an outstanding group of readers among Moroccan students and educators. The event was organized in partnership wi»»»

Chinese automaker BYD Company Ltd (SZSE:002594; HKEX:1211) has significantly strengthened its presence in Africa’s emerging electric vehicle (EV) market, increasing its market share to 35% in 2025 from just 4% two years prior, according to the Global EV Outlook 2026 report, published by the Interna»»»

Egypt is finalizing plans for its first yen-denominated bond sale in three years, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told Reuters on a trip to Japan on Thursday. The African Development Bank said in December it would partially guarantee Cairo's planned $500 million-equivalent Samurai bonds on the Japa»»»

President Abdel El-Sisi will partake in the next Arab Summit which is will be held on July 25th and 26th in Nouakchott, Mauritania. El-Sisi praised Mauritania for its reception of the Arab Summit, expressing his intention of full cooperation with Mauritania to make the summit successful. El-Sisi re»»»

As the curtain falls on 2024, the Egyptian Exchange (EGX) has closed the year with a significant boost, adding nearly EGP 30 billion to its market capitalization. This robust performance during the last trading session underscores a year of strategic growth and investor confidence in Egypt’s capita»»»

Mohamed Farid, Egypt’s Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, met with Ethiopis Tafara, Regional Vice-President for Africa at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and his accompanying delegation to review the ministry’s priorities and plans for advancing the investment and foreign trade »»»

Ahmed Rostom, Egypt’s Minister of Planning and Economic Development, met with Andreas Schaal, Director for Global Relations and Cooperation at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), to discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation and launching the second phase of the Egyp»»»

Egypt’s Minister of Industry, Khaled Hashem, met with Ireland’s Ambassador to Egypt, Aidan O’Hara, to discuss expanding industrial cooperation and strengthening trade and investment ties between the two countries. The meeting, attended by Ahmed Maghawry, Assistant Minister for International Coopera»»»

Egypt and Mauritania have explored opportunities to deepen bilateral cooperation in healthcare, with discussions focusing on medical training, pharmaceutical collaboration, preventive healthcare and medical tourism during a meeting between Egypt’s Minister of Health and Population, Khaled Abdel Gha»»»

Egypt has received fresh international recognition for the rapid development of its civil aviation sector and its growing ability to host major global aviation events, following the successful organization of the 38th IATA Ground Handling Conference (IGHC 2026) in Cairo from 19 to 21 May. Organized»»»

Egypt and Japan signed a preliminary strategic partnership framework on Wednesday to prepare for a presidential-level agreement, as Cairo proposed establishing a dedicated Japanese industrial zone in the Suez Canal Economic Zone to help secure global supply chains. The preliminary framework, alongs»»»

Israeli strikes killed ‌three Palestinians in Gaza on Wednesday, health officials said, and the Palestinian group Hamas said an end to such attacks was crucial to further talks on safeguarding a US-brokered ceasefire. Medics said one Palestinian was killed in an airstrike near the Mughraqa area in »»»

by Mahmoud Hammad Sharif Al-Kilani, a partner with Ernst and Young for North Africa and the Middle East region, said that the institution plans to establish new companies and acquisition deals for investors and Arab and foreign companies of Egyptian companies worth EGP20 billion over the coming six»»»

CAIRO: Israeli strikes killed ‌three Palestinians in Gaza on Wednesday, health officials said, and the Palestinian militant group Hamas said an end to such attacks was ​crucial to further talks on safeguarding a US-brokered ceasefire. Medics said one Palestinian was killed in an airstrike near the »»»

DUBAI: Iran’s missile and drone attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain triggered a wave of condemnation across the Gulf and wider Arab world on Wednesday, with regional governments rallying behind the two countries and accusing Tehran of threatening regional security and stability. The coordinated response »»»

EgyptAir has cancelled all flights to Kuwait International Airport on Wednesday and Thursday following an Iranian attack that targeted the airport, citing concerns for passenger safety amid ongoing regional tensions. The state-owned carrier said in a statement that it was closely monitoring develop»»»

Egypt’s Ministry of Agriculture has significantly expanded cotton cultivation this year, increasing planted area by 23% to 311,700 acres nationwide. This strategic move comes as global demand for cotton remains strong. Of the total acreage, 70,584 acres have been earmarked for seed production, ensu»»»

Cairo — Egypt’s capital markets are facing two potentially significant tests after the government moved to restore a stamp tax on stock-market transactions and S&P Dow Jones Indices launched a consultation on whether the country should retain its emerging-market status, developments that could infl»»»

RIYADH: Non-oil private sector activity across the UAE, Egypt and Kuwait faced continued headwinds in May, as supply disruptions, regional geopolitical tensions and cost pressures weighed on business conditions. The UAE stayed in expansion territory, Egypt recorded another contraction, and Kuwait r»»»

Egypt's non-oil private ‌sector remained mired in contraction in May, as a fresh surge in input costs squeezed demand, forced businesses into aggressive price hikes and triggered the steepest round of job cuts in nearly six years, a business survey showed on Wednesday. The headline S&P Global Egypt»»»

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi has stressed Cairo’s “appreciation for the strategic relations binding Egypt and the United States” and called for enhancing bilateral ties across various fields. El-Sisi met on Tuesday with a delegation from the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organ»»»

Arab Finance: ABB Egypt has completed a transformative crane drives modernization project at Dekheila Port, in collaboration with Al Ezz Dekheila Steel Company, to raise operational efficiency, according to a press release. ABB Egypt’s Motion Services division upgraded the port's crane operating sy»»»

Elsewedy Industrial Development, a subsidiary of Elsewedy Electric, has partnered with Kingdom Holdings of China. The two giants have inked a $60 million agreement to establish a private free zone in Egypt’s Industria Sadat, marking a significant milestone in industrial collaboration between the tw»»»

In a move reflecting regional economic resilience, the Egyptian Exchange (EGX) wrapped up the week on a positive note. On March 13, 2025, the EGX30, the main index, ascended by 0.78%, reaching 31,290.62 points. This marks a significant achievement amidst fluctuating global market trends. The bullis»»»

QNA New York Qatar has affirmed continued commitment to its efforts in mediation, dialogue, and preventive diplomacy to bolster peaceful efforts aimed at de-escalation and the preservation of international peace and security. This came in Qatar’s statement delivered by Permanent Representative of Q»»»

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has reaffirmed that a comprehensive and just settlement of the Palestinian issue based on a two-state solution remains the only viable path to achieving lasting peace and stability in the Middle East. According to a statement issued by the Egyptian presidency»»»

Azerbaijan is accelerating both fossil fuel and renewable energy development as it seeks to entrench its role as a reliable supplier to Europe and emerging markets, Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov said at the 31st Baku Energy Forum. The minister's remarks, delivered across several forum sessions, »»»

Chinese steel giant XinFeng has announced plans to develop an ultra-modern industrial complex in the Ain Sokhna Integrated Zone, part of the Suez Canal Economic Zone. This ambitious project, with an investment of $1.65 billion, underscores Egypt’s growing appeal as a hub for international industria»»»

Egypt’s Minister of Industry, Khaled Hashem, and Minister of Supply and Internal Trade, Sherif Farouk, inaugurated the 14th edition of Food Ingredients Africa (Fi Africa) and ProPak MENA 2026, the region’s leading trade exhibitions for food processing, packaging, and packaging technologies. Organis»»»

The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) announced that net foreign assets (NFAs) in Egypt’s banking sector rose to approximately $22.903bn, equivalent to EGP 1.229trn, in April 2026, up from $21.320bn, or EGP 1.164trn, in March. Net foreign assets are among the most important indicators of banking sector s»»»

Egypt is studying a comprehensive plan to develop the Blue Hole diving site within the Abu Galum Protected Area in South Sinai while safeguarding its fragile marine ecosystem, according to the Ministry of Local Development and Environment. Minister of Local Development and Environment Manal Awad re»»»

The Ministry of Planning and Economic Development has unveiled the key features of Egypt’s Economic and Social Development Plan for fiscal year (FY) 2026/27, as well as the medium-term development framework covering the period from FY 2026/27 to FY 2029/30. The plan was presented during a meeting o»»»

Egypt will adopt a “Greening Cairo” project aimed at converting evacuated urban spaces into green areas to increase the per capita share of green spaces, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced on Tuesday. Speaking during a meeting at the government headquarters in the New Administrative Capital,»»»

Partnerships and innovation are fundamental pillars for building an Africa that is more inclusive of persons with disabilities, Eman Karim, General Supervisor of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), stated during the “Inclusive Africa 2026” conference, which saw the announceme»»»

The Kremlin said Saudi Arabia will be featured as the “guest of honor” at the 29th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, SPIEF, in 2026, which opens this week. The Russian presidency said Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman will lead a high-level delegation of major national in»»»

LONDON: The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Qatar and Turkiye have condemned the storming of the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli settlers in occupied East Jerusalem on Sunday. The settlers raised Israeli flags on the steps leading to the Dome »»»

LONDON: The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Qatar and Turkiye have condemned the storming of the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli settlers in occupied East Jerusalem on Sunday. The settlers raised Israeli flags on the steps leading to the Dome »»»

Egypt pitched its Suez Canal Economic Zone and status as a strategic gateway to African markets to attract new South Korean investments on Tuesday, while declaring its water security an “existential issue” during talks on regional crises. The investment push came during the first round of the Egypt»»»

The German Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office, Serap Güler, has underscored Egypt’s pivotal role in promoting peace, security, and stability across the Middle East during her visit to Cairo, the first stop on a regional tour that will also take her to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab E»»»

Doha, Qatar: The Foreign Ministers of the State of Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Türkiye, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Republic of Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia condemn in the strongest terms the c»»»

Cairo — Egypt’s tourism industry is entering the peak summer season from a position of strength despite heightened geopolitical tensions across the Middle East, as hotel occupancy rates surged during the Eid Al-Adha holiday and Gulf carriers expanded services to the Mediterranean resort city of Ala»»»

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri has been working through Iranian channels to secure Hezbollah’s commitment to a ceasefire while his country presses ahead with negotiations aimed at ending the war, political sources have told Arab News. The Amal Movement leader remains central to ef»»»

The Foreign Ministers of the United Arab Emirates, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Türkiye, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Republic of Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the State of Qatar condemn in the strongest terms the continued incu»»»

LONDON: The Palestine Red Crescent Society evacuated 33 patients and their 40 companions from the Gaza Strip on Tuesday so that they could receive medical treatment in Egypt. With help from the World Health Organization, the group left from the Medical Rehabilitation Hospital and traveled through t»»»

The State of Qatar has affirmed continued commitment to its efforts in mediation, dialogue, and preventive diplomacy to bolster peaceful efforts aimed at de-escalation and the preservation of international peace and security. This came in Qatar's statement delivered by Permanent Representative of t»»»