News

Egyptian Pound Reaches 27.25 Against the US Dollar

mm
Egyptian Pound Reaches 27.25 Against the US Dollar

Photo Credit: Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters

As of Thursday, 5 January, the Egyptian pound has fallen to an all time low of EGP 27.25 against the United States dollar. This marks the most devastating devaluation since October 2022, and is yet another indication of the country’s severe scarcity of foreign currency.

The new devaluation follows the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) agreement to lend Cairo USD 3 billion (EGP 81.7 billion). The loan criteria stipulated Egypt adopt a free exchange rate regime with a flexible monetary policy; the pound has since dropped by approximately 6 percent against the dollar, a total of over 26 percent in the fiscal year 2022/23.

The Financial Times estimate that the pound will continue to depreciate.

Banque Misr and the National Bank of Egypt (NBE) announced on Wednesday, 4 January, that they will be offering a one-year maturity savings certificate with a 25 percent interest rate as a move to contain rising inflation and encourage savings. This is the highest yield on record for both banks, and comes as the local market anticipates further devaluation of the pound.

In 2022, the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) revoked the need for importers to use letters of credit, a measure intended to conserve foreign currency reserves by slowing down the import process. However, with over USD 9.5 billion (EGP 258.8 billion) worth of imports blocked in Egyptian ports due to a lack of foreign currency liquidity, Cairo continues to grapple with back-to-back devaluations.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has, in turn, called for the release of these goods in quicker strides moving forward.

Menna Shalaby Sentenced to Suspended 1-Year Prison Sentence Over Narcotics Possession
World's Largest Floating Book Fair Arrives in Egypt's Port Said

Subscribe to our newsletter


News
mm

With a heart for radio and an appetite for culture, Mona is a writer and illustrator based in Cairo. At the Erasmus University Rotterdam, she obtained a BSc and MA in Media, Culture, and Society, while actively writing for the faculty magazine. After graduating, Mona was an academic advisor at the American University in Cairo, as well as Managing Director of a small, campus-based advertising firm. Gears shifting, her knack for cultural research took over - enter: Egyptian Streets. Mona’s focus is tapered to issues of identity politics, culture, and social architecture.

More in News

Egypt Introduces New Measures for Visas to Increase Tourism

Egyptian Streets29 March 2023

Egypt’s Public Prosecution Gives Temporary Custody to Baby Shenouda’s Adoptive Family

Farah Rafik29 March 2023

Egypt Defeats Malawi 4-0 in 2023 African Cup Qualifiers

Marina Makary28 March 2023

Egypt to Get Its Very Own Fashion Week For the First Time

Egyptian Streets26 March 2023

Egypt Defeats Malawi 2-0 in Qualifiers for Africa Cup of Nations

Farah Rafik25 March 2023

World Bank and Egypt Agree on a New $7 Billion Five-Year Plan to Support Egypt’s Development

Egyptian Streets23 March 2023

Egyptian Court Denies Adoptive Family Custody of ‘Baby Shenouda’, Citing Lack of Jurisdiction

Egyptian Streets19 March 2023

Khaled El-Balshy Elected as Head of Egypt’s Journalists Syndicate

Farah Rafik18 March 2023