The National Dialogue was everywhere on the airwaves after its board of trustees concluded a meeting last night.

The National Dialogue will discuss what’s said at the government’s upcoming economic conference, which is scheduled for 23-25 October, MP and assistant rapporteur for the political track’s local committee Alaa Essam told Masaa DMC (watch, runtime: 28:12). We were told earlier this week that the dialogue itself won’t begin until after the economic conference and the COP 27 climate summit wrap.

On the agenda for the dialogue’s economic track: Inflation, public debt levels, the budget deficit, fiscal reform, investment priorities, state ownership and private sector participation, industry, agriculture, food security, social justice, and tourism, the dialogue’s organizers said.

The political, economic and social tracks of the dialogue will each meet on a different day of the week. Essam said. Some 30 contributors will take part in each session, including members of political parties, experts in the field, and government officials, Essam said. The news also got coverage from Al Hayah Al Youm (watch, runtime: 2:46).

ALSO GETTING AIRTIME- Cement prices will rise only slightly on the back of the government’s decision to double natgas prices for cement producers, head of the cement division of the Federation of Egyptian Industries Ahmed Sherine told El Hekaya (watch, runtime: 9:24). Natural gas covers just 10-15% of the energy needs of the few cement producers that even use it, with most relying on coal, he said. We have the details on the price hikes in today’s Energy section, above.