Our friends at AmCham are hosting a conference on the Private Sector’s Role in Implementing Sustainable Development Goals on 4-5 December. Co-organized with the UNDP, the conference aims to chart new and creative methods for local and regional partnerships between the private sector and governments that align with sustainable development goals. Keynote speakers include Investment Minister Sahar Nasr and Planning Minister Hala El Said. You can view the agenda here or tap here to register.

Egypt plans to launch its first electronic visa in December at the Cairo ICT expo running from 3-6 December.

The Investment Ministry will unveil its map of some 600 projects at the Business for Africa and the World Forum in Sharm El Sheikh on 7-9 December.

Also next month, the ICT Ministry will inaugurate two new tech zones and unveil the first locally assembled smartphone.

The supergiant Zohr natural gas field is expected to begin operations in three weeks’ time, according to Oil Ministry officials.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn is expected to visit Egypt and deliver a speech at the House of Representatives next month on the issues surrounding the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. The issue will also come up at the next meeting of the African Ministers’ Council on Water.