Egypt’s central bank widened the band in which banks can trade dollars to 10 piasters above or below the official rate, up from 3 piasters, prompting the lenders’ dollar rates to fall to their weakest ever levels. Expectations that the bank will devalue have grown since it announced a surprise 50-basis-point cut in benchmark interest rates earlier this month.
[Reuters, 1/29/2015]
Morocco to achieve over 90 percent of MDGs
According to the high commissioner for planning Ahmed Lahlimi Alami, Morocco will achieve over 90 percent of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set by the end of 2015. The MDGs indicators show that extreme poverty and famine were almost erased from Morocco since 2000 and the multidimensional forms of poverty are on the wane, especially in the urban zone. [MAP, 1/28/2015]
Libya still said to be in talks over rice, wheat purchases
According to European traders, a Libyan state grain buying agency is still in talks on international tenders to buy 50,000 tonnes of milling wheat and 25,000 tonnes of rice but payment issues due to political turmoil have prevented a deal. The agency issued the tenders on January 14 but no purchases had yet been made. [Zawya, Libya Monitor, 1/29/2015]
Tunisia tenders to buy 117,000 tonnes wheat, 50,000 tonnes barley
Tunisia’s state grains agency has issued an international tender to purchase up to 117,000 tonnes of soft milling wheat and 50,000 tonnes of feed barley, European traders said on Thursday. The grain was sought for a range of shipment dates between March and April depending on origin, they said. [Reuters, 1/29/2015]
Also of Interest:
Bond issue shows Tunisia has won back investors’ confidence | TAP
Moroccan Banks granted MAD 754 billion in credits in Jan-Nov 2014 | MAP
World Bank contributes to Egypt’s tourism strategy for 2020 | Zawya
Egypt considers cutting fuel subsidies by 20 billion pounds next year | Reuters
Jobless and desperate, Egyptians risk all in perilous Libya | Reuters