Getting aid into Gaza 🚚

• Aid trucks start entering Gaza from Egypt 🚚

• EGP climbs against USD 💪

• National Printing IPO garners hype 🔔

• Preparing rural women for future jobs 💻

WAR ON GAZA | HUMANITARIAN AID | ISRAELI OCCUPATION
AID TRUCKS FROM EGYPT ENTER GAZA AMID URGENT HUNGER CRISIS

Aid trucks began moving from Egypt into Gaza via the Karam Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing amid widespread food insecurity, malnutrition, or deaths caused by starvation.

Breakthrough: Egyptian state outlet Al Qahera News, who first broke the news, reported that the convoy includes dozens of trucks carrying tons of food and relief items — marking one of the most significant aid pushes in weeks as several governments and relief agencies denounced the ongoing famine in the besieged enclave.

In tandem, the Israeli military said it began conducting airdrops in coordination with international organizations. The occupying forces also pledged to implement “humanitarian corridors” and “pauses” in high-density areas to allow UN convoys safe passage.

The backdrop: Aid distribution in Gaza has been heavily restricted since Israel cut off supplies in March, causing over 2.2 million Palestinians to suffer from food insecurity and malnutrition.

On 22 July, it was reported that 21 Palestinian children in Gaza starved to death in the span of 72 hours. A few days prior, on 20 July, around 100 Palestinians were killed after Israeli forces opened fire on civilian crowds gathered near humanitarian aid trucks.

Despite evidence from several medical eyewitnesses, including foreign medics, and reports from international agencies, Israel maintains there is no starvation and blames distribution failures on the UN.

Any hopes for a ceasefire? Talks between Israel and Hamas remain at a standstill, with most recent talks in Doha last week collapsing without a breakthrough. For the time being, Israel has offered a “tactical pause” from military operations in certain parts of Gaza.

EXCHANGE RATE | EGP-USD | ECONOMIC STABILITY
EGYPTIAN POUND CLIMBS TO YEAR’S HIGH AGAINST US DOLLAR

The Egyptian pound has surged to around EGP 49 per USD, marking its strongest level since November 2024. This rebound from above EGP 51 earlier this summer has revived debates over whether the rally is sustainable or temporary.

Why it’s rising: Shifting global capital flows — driven by expectations of US Fed rate cuts and rising geopolitical uncertainty — have sent emerging market currencies higher, with Egypt benefiting. Foreign appetite for Egypt’s high-yield treasury bills and Currency Investment Products (CIPs) has also increased.

Analysts also point to renewed investor trust following structural reforms, stronger portfolio and direct inflows, and improved inflation metrics. The Central Bank of Egypt’s disinflation drive and a more stable external balance have supported the pound’s recovery.

IMF & Gulf partners also help: Egypt is working to complete IMF loan reviews by September, unlocking new tranches from the USD 8 billion program. Meanwhile, Gulf countries are doubling down: Kuwait may convert USD 4 billion in deposits into direct investments, Qatar eyes a USD 4 billion tourism city in the North Coast, and Saudi Arabia continues backing major infrastructure projects.

Tourism and Suez activity: Despite early-year losses, Suez Canal traffic is recovering, and tourism/remittance flows are helping shore up foreign currenct reserves. Inflation, which hit troubling highs previously, dropped to 14 percent by end of June.

Looking forward: According to the Raw Index, the pound remains undervalued by nearly 58 percent, suggesting potential for more gains.

NATIONAL PRINTING GROUP | EGYPTIAN STOCK EXCHANGE
NATIONAL PRINTING COMPANY’S IPO BACKED BY SAUDI INVESTOR

Saudi entrepreneur Omran Mohammed AlOmran is backing Egypt-based National Printing Company as the anchor investor in its upcoming IPO in the Egyptian Stock Exchange, with plans to acquire 10.6 million shares through a private deal.

IPO details: National Printing plans to float 21.2 million shares — 10 percent of its issued capital — between July 27 and 31, pending regulatory approval.

The IPO is fully regulated by the FRA, and offers a rare investor-friendly feature: guaranteed capital protection in the first month if the stock doesn’t rise.

Business snapshot: National Printing is a founder-led business producing over 2 billion packages a year across four major subsidiaries. It manufactures duplex boards (used in cereal and toy boxes), corrugated shipping sheets, disposable paper products, and packaging for global brands like Lipton Tea, Nestle, Amazon, and more. In 2011, the World Bank’s IFC came on board as a lender — and later became an investor — after being impressed by the company’s operations.

Cost advantage: Nearly 80 percent of its cost base is in Egyptian pounds, providing a local currency hedge, contributing around 25 percent of annual revenue, and making it export-competitive and scalable.

CAREER DEVELOPMENT | GENDER INCLUSIVITY | DIGITAL SKILLS
EGYPT LAUNCHES INITIATIVE TO UPSKILL 1 MILLION RURAL WOMEN

Egypt kicked off a major digital empowerment initiative called Maaki (“With You”), aiming to equip one million women in Upper Egypt with digital and tech skills. The project is a public-private partnership between Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA), Vodafone Egypt, Samsung Electronics Egypt, and Care Egypt.

Why it matters: The program targets rural and underserved areas, enabling women to launch businesses and access MSMEDA’s educational, financial, and technical services.

MSMEDA has already financed over 918,000 women-led projects since 2014, creating more than 1.2 million jobs.

Bigger picture: With women making up nearly 49 percent of Egypt’s population, Maaki supports the country’s broader goals of digital inclusion and economic participation.