Record remittances 💸

Hey friends,

Welcome back to a new edition of the Egypt Weekly Roundup.

Here in Egypt, this marks the first full work week of the new year. And luckily for us, we’re kicking things off in high spirits after our men’s national football team edged past the Ivory Coast in a thrilling 3-2 win to book a spot in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semi-finals — go Pharaohs!

The victory, featuring goals from international superstars Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush along with local veteran Ramy Rabia, sets up a showdown with Senegal next Wednesday. Senegal has lately been something of a bogey team for Egypt, having beaten us in the AFCON 2022 final and knocked us out of the last World Cup qualifiers. But maybe this time, third time’s the charm.

Now, let’s dive into this week’s top stories — packed with a bunch of business and macroeconomic stories to start with.

• A record $37.5 billion in 2025 💸

• New year, new financial goals 🎯

• Egypt urges for calm in Yemen 🇾🇪

• A new library that's inclusive 📚

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REMITTANCES | EGYPTIAN EXPATS | FX
EGYPT REMITTANCES HITS RECORD $37.5 BILLION IN 2025

Remittances from Egyptians abroad soared 42.5 percent to a staggering USD 37.5 billion in the first 11 months of 2025, cementing their role as a critical lifeline for foreign currency reserves and economic stability. November alone saw USD 3.6 billion flow in, up nearly 40 percent year-on-year, outpacing even the strong monthly gains seen throughout the year.​

The numbers decade-long surge: From USD 17.1 billion in FY2015/16, remittances more than doubled to USD 36.5 billion last fiscal year before exploding again in 2025’s calendar year. After dipping to USD 21.9 billion in FY2023/24 amid global headwinds, the rebound has been sharp, with Egypt ranking sixth worldwide for inflows.​

Why it matters now: These transfers – alongside tourism and Suez Canal fees – buffer the balance of payments, fund imports, and ease pressure on reserves during fiscal tightening. Economists see the trend holding as expat loyalty meets Cairo’s reform push, making remittances Egypt’s most reliable hard currency stream when others falter.

NEW YEAR, NEW MONEY: FINANCIAL RESOLUTIONS THAT ACTUALLY WORK

Every January, millions of Egyptians and people worldwide commit to new year’s resolutions. Many of them revolve around money: save more, pay off debt, spend less. Yet by February, most of these goals start fading. In the United States, 75 percent of people fall short of their saving and spending resolutions. Egyptians may not be Americans, but the struggle is universal: good intentions often don’t translate into lasting change.

The difference between resolutions that stick and those that fail isn’t willpower, it’s strategy. Optimism works, but only if it’s paired with realistic planning, clear metrics, and a framework that turns abstract goals into actionable steps.

Top financial resolutions for 2025 continues into 2026: save more money (43 percent), pay down debt (37 percent), and spend less (31 percent). Among these, building an emergency fund has emerged as the priority, with 79 percent of respondents focused on creating a financial safety net. In Egypt, financial aspirations skew slightly differently: 35 percent aim to grow wealth, 21 percent focus on investing, and 13 percent prioritize being debt-free and financially stable.

Why most resolutions fail: Vague intentions are the enemy of progress. Saying “I want to save more” sounds good — but how much? By when? For what purpose? Without clear answers, tracking progress or staying motivated is nearly impossible. Unrealistic expectations make matters worse — resolving to save half your income when your budget is tight is a setup for failure. And behavioral change takes time: consistency, small sacrifices, and habit shifts are required. 

Use the SMART framework: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound. Instead of “save more money,” a SMART goal looks like: “Save EGP 30,000 for an emergency fund by putting aside EGP 2,500 per month for 12 months.”

• Specific: You know exactly what you want.

• Measurable: Progress is quantifiable.

• Achievable: The goal matches your income and budget.

• Relevant: It aligns with your values and priorities.

• Time-bound: A deadline creates urgency and accountability.

Breaking big goals into smaller milestones keeps motivation high as well. In fact, 32 percent of people who successfully kept the previous year’s resolutions cited smaller checkpoints as a key success factor.

Egypt’s evolving financial landscape supports these efforts: Financial inclusion has surged 214 percent between 2016 and June 2025, expanding access to banking, savings products, and digital tools. The Central Bank of Egypt’s Financial Literacy Strategy further improves financial knowledge across demographics. 

Tools that turn resolutions into reality: Financial technology platforms in Egypt now offer diverse products that align directly with common resolutions. For those focused on investing and wealth-building, Valu Invest offers the AZ Valu, a money market fund developed in partnership with Azimut that provides daily compounded interest with no minimum or maximum investment limits, no transaction fees, and complete liquidity. Plus, users can redeem funds any day without locking capital into long-term instruments.

Valu’s app brings a wide range of financial tools together in one platform, making it more convenient for users to manage their finances in a simple and accessible way. From monitoring investment returns to overseeing spending across thousands of merchants, the app is designed to support smarter financial planning and better budgeting habits. With 860 thousand active users, Valu has grown into a trusted financial ecosystem for Egyptians working toward healthier financial futures.

The key takeaway: The successful formula for resolutions that stick isn’t overhauling your life overnight. It’s taking responsibility for your financial future. Hold yourself accountable: define your goals clearly, track your progress, and make deliberate choices that align with your long-term aspirations. Use the tools, platforms and strategies available to turn intentions into action. The power to create a more financially secure and sustainable future is in your hands — start today, stay consistent, and make this year the one where your resolutions truly pay off.

A QUICK MESSAGE BEFORE YOU KEEP SCROLLING…

The time and effort found in this newsletter come from local, independent, grassroots journalists from Egypt. You can continue receiving this newsletter and have unlimited access to all of Egyptian Streets’ content by subscribing for just USD 1.66 per month (EGP 80) and as little as USD 0.84 per month (EGP 40) for students, paid annually - that’s less than the price of a coffee to support independent journalism in Egypt!

YEMEN | MIDDLE EAST | DIPLOMACY
EGYPT CALLS FOR COOL HEADS AS YEMEN CIVIL CONFLICT REIGNITES

Egypt is watching Yemen’s latest flashpoint with a familiar message: hold fire, talk it out, and keep the country from fracturing further. The Foreign Ministry’s statement reaffirmed Cairo’s standard line on Yemen: unity, sovereignty, and a political fix that avoids more chaos spilling into the Red Sea and beyond.​

The port that changed hands: What happened: Yemen’s Saudi‑backed government announced it had reclaimed Mukalla, a strategic port city of oil‑rich Hadramout province previously controlled by UAE-linked separatists, after the Southern Transitional Council (STC) seized it last month. Egypt sees this as a risk for wider escalation, urging all sides to drop unilateral moves and opt for dialogue instead of firepower.​

Egypt’s Yemen playbook and why Cairo cares: With Yemen’s war pitting Houthis against the government and southern separatists against everyone, Egypt wants a comprehensive settlement that preserves state institutions and protects resources. The ministry stressed that only inclusive talks can deliver security and development, while warning that more fighting threatens everyone in the region.​

PUBLIC LIBRARY | INCLUSION
A NEW PUBLIC LIBRARY DESIGNED SO THAT THE BLIND CAN READ TOO

Cairo just got a new public library in Maadi’s Zahraa El Maadi neighborhood that welcomes everyone – especially the blind and visually impaired – with dedicated Braille sections and tools, with the opening timed perfectly for World Braille Day on 4 January.​

Accessibility first: Culture Minister Ahmed Fouad Hanno and Cairo Governor Ibrahim Saber cut the ribbon on “Noon El-Sahhar 2,” a 620-square-meter space stocked with 11,000 books, reading halls, a cultural salon, training rooms, and a computer lab. The standout feature: a special area equipped with Braille reading systems and ministry-published Braille titles, making knowledge truly barrier-free.​

From Nasr City success story to Maadi sequel: The original Noon El-Sahhar library in Nasr City drew such crowds that this second branch became a priority, built through partnerships with the Maxim Charitable Foundation, National Roads Company, and Cairo Governorate. Officials say it’s about building a cultural map where kids, youth, and adults can spark creativity and lifelong learning.​