VZCZCXYZ0006
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #1874 2731433
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 301433Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3731
INFO RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS CAIRO 001874 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ELA 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: ECON ETRD EAGR EPET PGOV EG
SUBJECT: EGYPT'S ECONOMY: SEMPTEMBER 30 PRESS ROUND-UP 
 
¶1. (U) The following are notable economic news stories that appeared 
over the past week in the Egyptian press: 
 
-------------------------------------- 
Exports to Agadir Member States up 22% 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) The Ministry of Trade and Industry reported that Egypt's 
exports to its trading partners under the Arab Mediterranean Free 
Trade Agreement (Agadir Agreement)were US$586 million from January 
to May 2009, a 22% rise compared to the same period in 2008. Egypt 
signed the Agadir Agreement in 2004 along with Jordan, Tunisia and 
Morocco. (Al Ahram, 9/20/2009). 
 
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Egypt Has 50 Million Cell Phone Users 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) According to a report published by the Ministry of 
Telecommunication and Information Technology (MCIT), the number of 
Egyptian mobile phone subscribers reached 50 million. This 
represents an increase of more than 14 million over last year. The 
number of internet users was reported at 13.7 million, though only a 
fraction, 900,000 users, had broadband internet service. (Al Ahram, 
9/23/2009). 
 
------------------------- 
Egypt's Oil Production Up 
------------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) Minister of Petroleum, Sameh Fahmi, released new figures on 
Egypt's crude oil production. According to Fahmi, Egypt now produces 
700,000 barrels per day (up from 620,000 barrels in 2008) and that 
Egypt's oil reserves amount to 4.4 billion barrels (Al Ahram, 
9/22/2009). 
 
----------------------- 
Liberalizing Irrigation 
----------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) The Ministry of Irrigation has prepared a draft law that 
would allow the participation of private organizations in the 
management of underground water and river water.  The new law will 
allow for and regulate the participation of users in decisions on 
water use and maintenance of canals-- an area which has been the 
exclusive purview of the Ministry. (Al Shorouk, Al Masry Al Youm, 
9/23/2009) 
 
------------------------------- 
H1N1 Cases in Egyptian Prisons 
------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (U) Egyptian state security has raised its state of alert because 
of cases of the H1N1 virus detected in prisons and detention cells. 
(Al-Arabiya Net 9/27/09). 
 
SCOBEY