Foreign reserves down by almost US$1 billion in May
Egypt’s net international reserves declined to US$19.559 billion at the end of May, the Central Bank reported.
In April, reserves reached US$20.53, following the arrival of US$6 billion in Central Bank deposits from the government’s allies in the Arab Gulf.
On the eve of the 2011 revolution, Egypt’s reserves stood at US$36 billion. Years of economic stagnation, and declining tourism revenue and foreign investment have left the country short on the hard currency it needs to finance imports.
According to Central Bank figures, Egypt’s import bill reached US$46.4 billion in the first nine months of the current fiscal year, driving an overall trade deficit of US$ 29.6 billion.
During the same period, net inflows of foreign investment amounted to just US$5.7 billion, tourism receipts totaled US$5.5 billion, and Suez canal tolls reached US$4.1 billion.
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