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Egypt wants shipping agencies to deal in pounds amid dollar flight

After Egypt’s currency devaluation in March, the Egyptian government hopes to ease the strain on its banking system by mandating that international shipping agencies accept Egyptian pounds instead of US dollars as payment.

Egyptians sit under umbrellas on the beach in the port city of Alexandria, Egypt, Sept. 12, 2015.
Egyptians sit under umbrellas on the beach in the port city of Alexandria, Egypt, Sept. 12, 2015. — Mohamed el-Shahed/AFP via Getty Images

CAIRO — As a way to relieve the strain on Egypt’s banking system, following the devaluation of the currency in March, the Egyptian government plans to mandate shipping agencies operating in the country’s ports to accept Egyptian pounds instead of US dollars as payment.

The Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce (FEDCOC) in Egypt has urged Finance Minister Mohamed Maait to compel shipping companies to accept terminal handling fees in Egyptian pounds rather than US dollars, for all containers entering Egyptian ports.

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