Activists pardoned 🕊️

• Freedom for activists 🕊️

• Eni invests big in Egypt's energy 💰

• Egypt's e-commerce evolution 🛒

• Egypt explains army at Sinai border 🪖

HUMAN RIGHTS | POLITICAL ACTIVISM
EGYPTIAN-BRITISH ALAA ABDEL FATTAH AND OTHER ACTIVISTS RECEIVES PRESIDENTIAL PARDON

President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi pardoned British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel-Fattah and five other prisoners, following an appeal submitted by the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) earlier this month. The move comes under the president’s constitutional authority to reduce or commute sentences without overturning judicial rulings.

Humanitarian PR: The NCHR argued that the release would highlight the “humanitarian dimension of the state” by reuniting families and supporting vulnerable groups, including children and the elderly. Alongside Abdel-Fattah, the pardon covers six others, among them Saeed Magally Al-Dou Aliwa, Karam Abdel Samee Ismail Al-Saadany, and Walaa Gamal Saad Mohamed.

Background on Abdel-Fattah: A leading figure in Egypt’s 2011 uprising, Abdel-Fattah has faced repeated prosecutions over the past decade. He was arrested in September 2019 and spent two years in pretrial detention before receiving a five-year prison sentence in 2021 for “spreading false news.” In July 2025, a Cairo court removed him and six others from Egypt’s terrorism list, where he had been placed in 2020.

ENI | ENERGY | INVESTMENT
ENI TO INVEST $8 BILLION IN EGYPT’S ENERGY SECTOR

Italian energy giant Eni will invest USD 8 billion in Egypt over the next five years, focusing on boosting natural gas and oil production through short-cycle exploration, field redevelopment, and integration with the East Mediterranean gas hub. The announcement followed a meeting in Cairo’s new administrative capital between Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Eni COO Guido Brusco, attended by Petroleum Minister Karim Badawi and other officials.

Expanding production and efficiency: Eni plans to extend output from mature onshore fields using advanced subsurface technologies and launch new drilling under the extended Temsah concession. The company will leverage existing infrastructure to maximize efficiency while contributing to Egypt’s energy security and regional gas hub ambitions, including projects tied to the Cronos discovery offshore Cyprus.

Strategic partnership: Prime Minister Madbouly welcomed Eni’s pledge, urging accelerated exploration and field development. Eni, through its subsidiary IEOC, is Egypt’s largest hydrocarbon producer, contributing around 40 percent of the country’s natural gas and averaging 280,000 barrels of oil equivalent daily in 2024. The announcement coincided with the Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) Safety Day, promoting a culture of safety and sustainability across the sector.

EGYPT’S E-COMMERCE EVOLUTION: FROM PANDEMIC SURGE TO FINTECH-DRIVEN GROWTH

Who would have thought that a pandemic that scared us all into staying at home would spark Egypt’s e-commerce boom? What began as a short-term fix during lockdowns has turned into a long-term shift in how Egyptians shop. Back in October 2020, electronic transactions had jumped 156 percent compared to March of the same year, according to the National Telecom Regulatory Authority. Payments rose almost in lockstep, up 155 percent. The pandemic didn’t just push people online, it rewired habits that have stuck ever since.

From lockdown lifeline to lasting habit: Fast-forward to 2025, and e-commerce is no longer a pandemic necessity but a cornerstone of Egypt’s retail landscape. The market is valued at USD 10.24 billion (EGP 492 billion) today, with projections showing it could nearly double to USD 19.28 billion (EGP 925 billion) by 2030. This is no longer about convenience; it’s proof of how fintech and digital tools are now baked into everyday consumer life. 

A big draw is the incentives that online platforms deliver. Exclusive discounts, cashback rewards, and seasonal offers make digital shopping not only easier but also smarter — especially in a high-inflation economy where families are looking for ways to stretch their budgets.

For businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the boom is less about growth and more about transformation. Over 53 percent of merchants adopted digital payments in the last two years, with many reporting higher revenue and more foot traffic. Today, 85 percent of SMEs accept digital payments, and since SMEs account for 98 percent of Egypt’s private sector, the impact is massive. Social media has even emerged as a new storefront, with over half of SMEs accepting payments directly through platforms like Instagram and Facebook.

The pandemic years accelerated Egypt’s shift toward digital payments, setting new habits that continued well beyond 2021. As adoption grew, fintech companies began expanding their role — not just processing payments but also reimagining how shopping itself happens online.

Fintech leaders driving the change: Building on this momentum, Valu, the region’s leading fintech player, has revamped its Shop’IT, expanding on its existing online offering and providing users with a premium, streamlined way to shop and earn cashback. Users can now browse products from merchants’ all on Valu app, whether it’s Amazon, B.TECH, Way Up Sports, 2B, and much more, and pay with any payment method, through the merchant’s app, and soon, the checkout will be through Valu app. All while earning extra Shop’IT cashback, with every purchase.

There’s no question that the global e-commerce wave will only continue to make momentum. In Egypt’s case, that wave hit during lockdown — a spark that Valu took part in from the get-go, with many other companies following suit in the later years. As retail in Egypt continues its inevitable march online, Valu keeps pushing upgrades that blend financial flexibility with seamless shopping solutions — keeping it firmly at the forefront of Egypt’s e-commerce story.

MILITARY DEFENSE | ISRAEL | MIDDLE EAST
EGYPT STRESSES SINAI MILITARY PRESENCE AMID GAZA CRISIS

Egypt responded to global reports regarding its Armed Forces stationed in the Sinai Peninsula, emphasizing that the deployment aims to safeguard the country against “all threats, including terrorism and smuggling.” The statement, issued by Egypt’s State Information Services (SIS), highlighted that the move is fully coordinated with parties to the Peace Treaty with Israel, which Egypt has never violated.

Regional tensions: The announcement comes amid escalating violence in Gaza, where Israel’s offensive has forced mass displacement of Palestinians, including potential plans to move populations into the Sinai. Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have reiterated ambitions tied to the concept of “Greater Israel,” which could involve territorial expansion into the Sinai Peninsula.

Don’t let this distract you from what really matters: Since the conflict began, over 62,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 156,000 injured. International bodies, including the UN Human Rights Council and the International Association of Genocide Scholars, have condemned Israel’s actions as genocide, while the UN officially declared famine in Gaza due to severe food shortages and malnutrition-related deaths.ngness to take a firmer stance on security and sovereignty issues.