On the horizon
Russia is due to lift its ban on imports of fruits and vegetables from Egypt, excluding potatoes, starting Saturday, 1 October, according to Russian state watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor speaking to Russian state news agency TASS on Tuesday. We noted yesterday that the ban was to be lifted following the dispatch of an Egyptian delegation on Sunday, though the exact date had yet to be confirmed at the time. The ban has been in place since 22 September.
Meanwhile, the Tripoli-based Food and Drugs Control Centre, run by the Libyan strain of the Muslim Brotherhood-controlled Tripoli government, has called for a ban on the import of fruits and vegetables from Egypt, the Libya Herald reports, claiming the Misrata militia-controlled area has already implemented a similar ban. “There are claims that the Libyan moves are, in part, also politically driven, in this case because of Egypt’s support for Khalifa Hafter and the Libya National Army in the east of the country,” the newspaper reports.
Egypt, Greece and Cyprus will hold a tripartite summit on 11-12 October, following PM Alexis Tsipras’ expected to visit Egypt 9-12 October Al Masry Al Youm reports.
Can we make it 12 in a row? The Emirates NBD / Markit purchasing managers’ indices for Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are out at 6:15am CLT. The Egyptian gauge has deteriorated for 11 straight months through September.
We’re looking at back-to-back long weekends ahead for Islamic New Year (either 2 or 3 October) and Armed Forces Day (6 October).