CAIRO: Egypt paid around $16.5 billion in external debt installments, as well as $3.5 billion interest on these debts, during the first nine months of the last fiscal year, according to the central bank鈥檚 data.

The country鈥檚 total foreign debt repayments during the last fiscal year, $20 billion, is up from $10.9 billion during the same period the previous year. 

Wheat procurement

Ukrainian officials are working to release a detained vessel carrying Ukrainian wheat purchased by the Egyptian government, Ukraine鈥檚 Mideast envoy told Reuters.

The vessel, Emmakris III, was detained last month at the request of Ukraine鈥檚 prosecutor general to investigate its alleged Russian owner, court documents seen by Reuters showed.

鈥淲e are working in coordination with all the responsible authorities in Ukraine and in Egypt, to see that this ship is allowed to set sail as soon as possible,鈥� Ukraine鈥檚 Special Envoy to the Middle East Maksym Subkh said.

Commodity support

The Supply Ministry has issued a directive to add five more commodities to the list of supplies eligible for purchase through ration cards, according to a Cabinet statement. 

Ration card holders will be able to purchase these commodities at lower-than-market prices starting 1 September. 

The commodities are ghee, flour, tahini, tuna and jam. 

e-Finance is working with the PIF

Cairo鈥檚 digital payments developer e-Finance will provide financial and digital services to 萝莉视频鈥檚 Public Investment Fund鈥檚 new Egypt investment arm, its chairman Ibrahim Sarhan said in an interview with Asharq. 

The Saudi Egyptian Investment Co., a subsidiary of the PIF, has acquired a 25 percent stake in e-Finance for financial and digital investments, as part of a deal to acquire stakes in four Egyptian-listed companies worth $1.3 billion.