Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 5415 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
QA
YM YI YE

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 10CAIRO23, EGYPT'S ECONOMY: January 4 PRESS ROUND-UP

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #10CAIRO23.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
10CAIRO23 2010-01-04 12:12 2011-02-16 21:09 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Cairo
VZCZCXYZ0002
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #0023 0041250
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 041250Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4657
INFO RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS CAIRO 000023 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ELA 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: ECON EINV EFIN ETRD EAGR PREL PGOV EG ET
SUBJECT: EGYPT'S ECONOMY: January 4 PRESS ROUND-UP 
 
ΒΆ1. (U) The following are notable economic news stories that appeared over the past week in the Egyptian press: --------------------------------------------- - Port Said to Continue Operating as a Free Zone --------------------------------------------- -

2.(U) President Mubarak announced during his visit to Port Said that the governorate would continue to operate as a free zone for the foreseeable future, despite previous plans to phase out its free zone status in 2009. As a free zone, export companies in Port Said are exempt from Egyptian sales taxes and import duties on intermediate goods. Minister of Investment Mahmoud Mohieddin noted that the Port Said free zone includes 1,160 companies with total investments of US$14 billion (Al Ahram, 12/29/2009). --------------------------- Stock Market Up 35% in 2009 ---------------------------

3.(U) EGX 30, the main Egyptian stock market index, increased by 35% in 2009. Al Alam Al Youm newspaper singled out the strength of the real estate sector as a major factor driving the growth (Al Alam Al Youm, 1/3/2010). --------------------------------------------- ---- Egyptian-Ethiopian Economic Relations to Increase --------------------------------------------- ----

4.(U) Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif met with his Ethiopian counterpart on a visit to Addis Ababa and hailed growing Egyptian-Ethiopian economic relations. The two nations have agreed to establish the "Nile Fund for Investment," with Egyptian banks providing US$1 billion in capital for trade projects in the Nile Basin region (Al Ahram, Al Masry Al Youm, Al Shorouk, 12/29/2009). --------------------------------------------- -- Exemption of Sugar from Customs Duties Extended --------------------------------------------- --

5.(U) The Egyptian Customs Administration has extended a Prime Ministerial decree exempting sugar imports from customs duties until the end of June 2010. The exemption, which was first implemented in August 2009, is intended to mitigate the effect of rising global sugar prices combined with high local demand (Al Masry Al Youm, Al Shorouk, 1/3/2010). --------------------------------------------- --- Orascom Plans to Pay 20% of Algerian Tax Request --------------------------------------------- ---

6.(U) Alex Shalaby, the Chairman of the Mobinil phone company, which is majority-owned by Orascom Telecom, says that Orascom plans to pay the Algerian government 20% of the US$596 million that the government claims the company owes in back taxes. The Egypt-based Orascom Telecom, one of the largest telecommunications companies in the Middle East and North Africa, has been embroiled in the tax dispute with the Algerian government since November (Al Masry Al Youm, 12/29/2009). TUELLER