By RIYADH: ARAB NEWS
Saudi Arabia said yesterday it would honor a pledge of $3.75 billion in aid to Egypt after complaints by the Egyptian premier that donor countries were failing to respect their commitments.
“The Kingdom pledged to support Egypt in meeting the challenges facing its economy through a series of financial commitments totaling $3.75 billion,” Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal told the Saudi Press Agency.
Responding to remarks by Prime Minister Kamal Ganzuri on donor states’ failure to honor their pledges to support Egypt’s ailing economy, Prince Saud said Riyadh paid $500 million of its total commitment into Cairo’s Central Bank in May last year when the aid was promised.
A second tranche of $1.45 billion, to finance a number of projects by the Saudi Development Fund, was the subject of a memorandum of understanding still awaiting the go-ahead from Egypt, he added.
The rest of the Saudi aid, including another transfer to the Central Bank and the purchase of treasury bonds, had also been held up by the Egyptian government, Prince Saud said.
Saudi Arabia has, in addition, supplied Egypt with 48,000 tons of liquefied gas and “will not hesitate to stand beside its Egyptian brothers,” he added.
Categories: Africa, Egypt, Saudi Arabia