UAE to deposit $1 bn in Egypt central bank
The United Arab Emirates agreed Monday to deposit $1 billion into Egypt’s central bank in a new show of support for President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, state news agency WAM said.
The announcement comes as Egypt grapples with a dollar shortage and dwindling foreign reserves, and as Sisi has been preparing public opinion for economic reform measures, including further subsidy cuts.
The $1 billion (800,000 euro) deposit, which is for a six-year period, comes as part of the UAE’s “unwavering position in supporting Egypt and its people” and in recognition of Egypt’s “pivotal role in the region”, WAM said.
Egypt has already received more than $20 billion in aid from Gulf countries that supported the overthrow of Sisi’s Islamist predecessor Mohamed Morsi, but that has not stemmed the decline of its economy.
The UAE, which considers Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood movement to be a “terrorist” group, has been among the strongest backers of Sisi’s government.
In April, it allocated $4 billion to support Egypt — $2 billion in investment and another $2 billion to be deposited at the central bank to support foreign exchange reserves.