Follow the latest in economic news and developments about the Arab transition countries. 
Government launches ‘Egypt 2022’ economic development plan

The current interim government is taking the first step of a long term developmental vision, referred to as “Egypt 2022”, aimed at achieving a “sustainable and containment growth”, according to a document from Ministry of Planning. This long term vision included technological development to aid in improving the quality of citizens’ and institutions’ services “which by result will attract local and foreign investments and create job opportunities.” The vision also focuses on developing basic infrastructure and stressed the importance of developing the administrative half of the state’s institutions. [DNE]

Standard & Poor’s (S&P) Ratings Services on Friday affirmed its long- and short-term foreign and local currency sovereign credit ratings on Jordan at ‘BB-/B’. But S&P said the outlook for the Kingdom remains negative due to Syria fallout risks. It added that the outlook remains negative, “reflecting our view of the potential for a downgrade over the next year if adverse developments, particularly emanating from the conflict in Syria, again significantly raise financing needs”. [Jordan Times]

The Libyan government has decided to increase the salaries of workers at the National Oil Corporation (NOC), and its affiliated companies, by 67 percent. The Oil and Gas Ministry made the announcement after the proposal was accepted by the government on Wednesday. The increases will become effective from the start of January. [Libya TV]

The Executive Board of the Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT), which met on October 30, noted the continued downward trend in the index of consumer prices for the third consecutive month, with an inflation rate dropping to 5.8 percent year-on-year in the month of September 2013 against 6 percent in the previous month. Moreover, the current account deficit remained at a high level during the first nine months of the current year (6.1 percent of GDP against 6.6 percent a year earlier). [AM]
 
 

Also of Interest: 
Interest rates in Egypt remain fixed as inflation rises: analysts | DNE
Egypt’s private sector remains exempt from minimum wage law | Al Bawaba
UK restores 24 arms export licenses to Egypt | DNE
Egypt receives $280 million oil aid from UAE in October | World Bulletin
Egyptian Minister of Petroleum signs agreements for $470 million in investments | DNE
Property tax amendments in Egypt to lessen economic burden on investors | DNE
Ministry of Finance rates Egyptian banks | DNE
Blog: Egypt’s economy, propped up but struggling | FT
Japan grants Jordan $10.2 million to support host communities | Jordan Times
Jordan’s King Abdullah to press on with ‘white revolution’|  The National
Libya: Protesters defy government agreement | NAP
WB backs Morocco governance reform | 4-traders, MAP
Morocco, France sign statement of intent on SMEs | MAP
Morocco gets $895 million in German loan for solar plants | Art19
Tunisia’s draft state budget 2014: Interior, defense ministries’ budgets up | TAP
Tunisia: Minister of Finance forecasts 4 percent growth rate in 2014 | L’Economiste
Yemen, UNICEF sign $72.6 million educational agreement|  SABA