LEGISLATION WATCH- The House could vote as early as Saturday to impose tougher penalties for the possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition,according to Al Mal. The news comes as the House Constitutional and Legislative Committee is expected to finalize on Sunday its review of proposed amendments to the Criminal Procedures Act, MP Abla El Hawary said, according to Al Shorouk.

The UN Biodiversity Conference headlined “investing in biodiversity for people and the planet” will run Thursday, 13 November through to Thursday, 29 November in Sharm El Sheikh.

The government will announce by mid-November the date of its first auction of ‘unused’ state land, Public Enterprise Minister Hisham Tawfik has said. As many as 10 mn sqm of state-owned land in 10 governorates will be up for sale to developers.

The Egypt M&A and Private Equity Forum will take place on Wednesday, 14 November at the Nile Ritz Carlton in Cairo.

Interest rate watch: The central bank’s monetary policy committee meets on Thursday, 15 November to review interest rates. The emerging consensus is that the bank will leave rates on hold.

The Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration-sponsored Sharm El Sheikh VII conference will take place between 9-10 December in Egypt Hall, SOHO Square, Sharm El Sheikh.