Workers harvest potatoes from a field in Menoufia, in Egypt's fertile Nile Delta. Getty Images
Workers harvest potatoes from a field in Menoufia, in Egypt's fertile Nile Delta. Getty Images
Workers harvest potatoes from a field in Menoufia, in Egypt's fertile Nile Delta. Getty Images
Workers harvest potatoes from a field in Menoufia, in Egypt's fertile Nile Delta. Getty Images

Egyptians turn to agriculture for stability and income amid economic uncertainty


Kamal Tabikha
  • English
  • Arabic

Egypt is witnessing a surge in demand for agricultural land that has pushed up prices for potential buyers and renters, who include an increasing number of ordinary Egyptians struggling with an economic downturn and the soaring cost of food.

In a country that is more than 90 per cent desert, most of the land suitable for agriculture lies near the banks of the Nile, where annual flooding over millennia has deposited a layer of nutrient-rich silt to create what is commonly known as "black land". Farther from the river is "yellow land", where the soil is sandier and less fertile, requiring the use of irrigation systems and fertiliser for farming.

Demand has led to a steep rise in the prices of both types of land, according to Alaa Madina, a farmer and land broker in Menoufia province just north of Cairo.

"Individuals, the state, the private sector and foreign investors have all been steadily showing more interest in agricultural ventures in Egypt over the past four years," said deputy agriculture minister Mohamed Fahim. "However, there is a limited amount of viable land, so the increased demand has raised prices, especially for renting land."

Soaring food prices, a struggling economy and the availability of hundreds of thousands of hectares of newly developed agricultural land has sparked a surge in interest in the sector from Egyptians and foreign investors alike, according to Mr Fahim.

The rising demand more than tripled the cost of leasing farmland since 2022, said Mr Madina. In the fertile Nile Delta region, a feddan (0.42 hectares) of black land, so named for its dark, alluvial soil, was leased for 20,000 Egyptian pounds ($416) a year in 2022. This year, the average rent for the same land is 65,000 pounds, he said.

Since 1990, the amount of land viable for agriculture has nearly doubled to reach 4 per cent of the country's total area, according to a report from the World Bank.

An estimated 6 million feddans of prime black land have been farmed since ancient times, according to Mr Fahim. This land was confiscated from large estate owners and redistributed among families, both rich and poor, by President Gamal Abdel Nasser after the overthrow of the monarchy in 1952.

Even in the less desirable yellow land, rent has climbed from about 10,000 pounds per feddan in 2022 to 30,000 this year. Purchasing prices have also risen, with a feddan of black land now costing about 2 million pounds and yellow land about 500,000 pounds, Mr Madina said.

Yellow land is more sandy than black land on account of the lower rate of water which reaches it. This is why developing it often requires constructing a reliable water supply as the land is farther from the river.

The government has developed 3.5 million feddans of yellow land through various projects. This has involved flattening the land, digging groundwater wells for irrigation, building roads and connecting remote areas to the power grid.

"There is undoubtedly rising interest in agricultural ventures in Egypt which can be traced back to Covid-19," Mr Madina said.

"The pandemic ended many jobs, particularly service-sector jobs in cities like Cairo. This not only made many people return home to the provinces to wait it out, it also encouraged many to start working in agriculture because it was the only possible option amid all the closures."

The soaring cost of food has been a key driver of the agriculture boom. Inflation hit 32.5 per cent in April before declining slightly to 28.1 per cent in May, still nearly triple the rate in March 2022 when the economic crisis began.

"After watching prices at markets increase month by month since 2022 and struggling to afford basic food items, many Egyptians began to think that they could be the ones selling the crops at high prices, they started to see it as very profitable, especially as other industries started to shut down because of the dollar shortages," Mr Madina said.

More than 55 per cent of employment in Upper Egypt is agriculture-related, according to this year's data from the US Agency for International Development. The sector also accounts for 28 per cent of all jobs in Egypt, according to the agency.

Prickly pears, a seasonal fruit also known as cactus fruit, are grown at a farm in the village of Mit Kinahh in Al Qalyubia, Egypt. AFP
Prickly pears, a seasonal fruit also known as cactus fruit, are grown at a farm in the village of Mit Kinahh in Al Qalyubia, Egypt. AFP

"Millions work in agriculture, it's always been a big sector in Egypt. But since 2022, millions more have migrated to it from other sectors. I really am not exaggerating, millions of Egyptians since 2022 have made the move into agriculture," the deputy minister said.

"This includes thousands of new landowners and renters, but also the workers they employ, their number is far higher than land owners," he said, adding that each time a piece of land is rented, more people with different specialities need to be hired for the venture to succeed.

"The growth is not just in land rentals or purchases, it's also in the size of the sector itself and all the industries related to it."

The agriculture expansion encompasses small farmers in the Nile Delta as well as large investors farming reclaimed desert lands. These projects have shifted land ownership dynamics, with rents previously paid to Bedouin tribes now going to the state or military, which have become like "the people's landlord", Mr Madina said.

The military has formalised many areas, by developing and leasing them, and relocated the Bedouin who lived there to other regions, especially in less remote desert areas such as Al Dabaa and Wadi Natroun.

Farmers prefer to deal with the military because they are quick to send machinery to dig canals, flatten land and provide any necessary assistance to farmers who can potentially face various issues after they have signed their leases, Mr Madina said.

The National spoke to Ahmed Issa, a 38-year-old resident of Cairo’s Nasr City neighbourhood, who recently leased a new plot of black land of about 12 feddans in the Nile Delta's Beheira province, two hours north-east of Cairo, where he plans to grow potatoes.

“I recently came into some money and for a few months I had been looking for a viable business venture that was secure, something that could help me and my family make ends meet. With everything getting so expensive, everyone’s looking for something to do on the side,” said Mr Issa, an Uber driver whose family owns a carpentry shop.

“I hadn’t really considered agriculture at first, but many people I consulted with advised me to look into it. The costs to start a small farm are not as high as opening a restaurant or purchasing a car and driving it for Uber, and it comes with the benefit of being able to plant crops to feed my family.”

Smokes rises as farmers burn rice harvest waste in the province of Al Sharkia, north-east of Cairo. Reuters
Smokes rises as farmers burn rice harvest waste in the province of Al Sharkia, north-east of Cairo. Reuters

Water concerns

As agriculture expands, water security is a crucial factor, which Mr Fahim calls a "rare resource in Egypt that has to be guided wisely".

The government has capped production of water-intensive crops and made the use of modern irrigation methods compulsory in reclaimed desert areas. Water security has taken on new urgency amid a dispute with Ethiopia over its construction of a dam on the Nile.

For local small-scale farmers, affording to expand is a challenge given the soaring cost of living. But large investors, especially foreigners, have benefited from looser land ownership rules and a cheaper Egyptian pound following four currency devaluations. The increase was significantly invigorated by the lifting last year of a cap on the amount of land a foreigner can own, which used to be limited to two 4,000-square-metre properties, each in a different city.

"For a foreign investor who is converting their currency from dollars, dirhams or rials, an agriculture project in Egypt is going to be enticing for the costs it saves alone," Mr Fahim said. "Everything is cheaper – labour, seeds, fertilisers, land."

The government and military have promoted agriculture by investing in irrigation systems, electricity networks and road links in far-flung areas. In the past, private investors had to shoulder these costs. "Now the situation is much more different as the government is bearing those costs itself," Mr Fahim explained. "The development has made lands as far away as the New Valley in the Western Desert viable for farming."

Egypt's military plays an outsize role in the nation's economy, controlling a vast network of companies involved in industries from construction and manufacturing to agriculture and consumer goods. This "military economy" has expanded significantly since President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, a former general, took power in 2014.

Military-affiliated companies often receive preferential treatment in government contracts, subsidies and tax breaks. In the agricultural sector, the military has been deeply involved in the government's desert reclamation projects, providing engineering expertise and infrastructure development, Mr Madina said.

The agriculture drive dovetails with Egypt's urgent need to curtail its dependence on imported staples as it grapples with an external debt load equivalent to 96 per cent of GDP this fiscal year. In May, the President launched a project to reduce the $3.7 billion spent annually on food imports by increasing domestic crop production, though critics called the savings target unrealistic.

Despite the risks inherent in farming, including climate factors, Egyptians see few other options. "For people looking to increase profits because of high food prices, costs aren't so high because it is a seasonal activity and it can be done with very low costs," Mr Madina said, listing crops such as potatoes, mangoes and olives now being planted from the Nile Delta to the reclaimed desert valleys.

The rush for farmland is altering Egypt's human and physical geography because the reclaimed lands in the desert, which have grown following various reclamation initiatives, constitute the largest shift in Egyptian agricultural activities outside the Nile Valley.

This is something that previous Egyptian presidents have tried to do but ultimately found unfeasible. It has also made farmers who have never worked in the desert relocate to reclaimed lands to conduct contract farming for the state, changing the way Egyptians have conducted agriculture for centuries around the Nile Valley.

THE DETAILS

Solo: A Star Wars Story

Dir: Ron Howard

Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson

3/5

Winners

Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)

Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski

Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)

Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea

Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona

Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)

Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)

Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)

Best National Team of the Year: Italy 

Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello

Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)

Player Career Award: Ronaldinho

FULL%20FIGHT%20CARD
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The%20specs
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
STAGE%201%20RESULTS
%3Cp%3E1)%20Tim%20Merlier%20(Soudal-Quick-Step)%2C%203h%2017%E2%80%99%2035%E2%80%9D%3Cbr%3E2)%20Caleb%20Ewan%20(Lotto%20Dstny)%20same%20time%3Cbr%3E3)%20Mark%20Cavendish%20(Astana%20Qazaqstan%20Team)%20same%20time%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EGeneral%20Classification%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E1)%20Tim%20Merlier%20(Soudal%20Quick-Step)%203%3A17%3A25%3Cbr%3E2%20-%20Caleb%20Ewan%20(Lotto%20Dstny)%20%2B4%22%3Cbr%3E3%20-%20Luke%20Plapp%20(Ineos%20Grenadiers)%20%2B5%22%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Super Bowl LIII schedule

What Super Bowl LIII

Who is playing New England Patriots v Los Angeles Rams

Where Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, United States

When Sunday (start time is 3.30am on Monday UAE time)

 

Dubai World Cup Carnival card:

6.30pm: Handicap (Turf) | US$175,000 2,410 metres

7.05pm: UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Conditions (Dirt) $100,000 1,400m

7.40pm: Handicap (T) $145,000 1,000m

8.15pm: Dubawi Stakes Group 3 (D) $200,000 1,200m

8.50pm: Singspiel Stakes Group 3 (T) $200,000 1,800m

9.25pm: Handicap (T) | $175,000 1,400m

BIO

Favourite holiday destination: Turkey - because the government look after animals so well there.

Favourite film: I love scary movies. I have so many favourites but The Ring stands out.

Favourite book: The Lord of the Rings. I didn’t like the movies but I loved the books.

Favourite colour: Black.

Favourite music: Hard rock. I actually also perform as a rock DJ in Dubai.

Ain Dubai in numbers

126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure

1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch

16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.

9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.

5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place

192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.

Russia's Muslim Heartlands

Dominic Rubin, Oxford

Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)

Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What is type-1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is a genetic and unavoidable condition, rather than the lifestyle-related type 2 diabetes.

It occurs mostly in people under 40 and a result of the pancreas failing to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugars.

Too much or too little blood sugar can result in an attack where sufferers lose consciousness in serious cases.

Being overweight or obese increases the chances of developing the more common type 2 diabetes.

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Ruwais timeline

1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established

1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants

1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed

1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.  

1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex

2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea

2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd

2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens

2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies

2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export

2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.

2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery 

2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital

2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13

Source: The National

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Final round

25 under -  Antoine Rozner (FRA)

23 - Francesco Laporta (ITA), Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA), Andy Sullivan (ENG), Matt Wallace (ENG)

21 - Grant Forrest (SCO)

20 - Ross Fisher (ENG)

19 - Steven Brown (ENG), Joakim Lagergren (SWE), Niklas Lemke (SWE), Marc Warren (SCO), Bernd Wiesberger (AUT)

SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4-litre%20flat-six%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E525hp%20(GT3)%2C%20500hp%20(GT4)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E465Nm%20(GT3)%2C%20450Nm%20(GT4)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeven-speed%20automatic%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh944%2C000%20(GT3)%2C%20Dh581%2C700%20(GT4)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher:  Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5

WHAT FANS WILL LOVE ABOUT RUSSIA

FANS WILL LOVE
Uber is ridiculously cheap and, as Diego Saez discovered, mush safer. A 45-minute taxi from Pulova airport to Saint Petersburg’s Nevsky Prospect can cost as little as 500 roubles (Dh30).

FANS WILL LOATHE
Uber policy in Russia is that they can start the fare as soon as they arrive at the pick-up point — and oftentimes they start it even before arriving, or worse never arrive yet charge you anyway.

FANS WILL LOVE
It’s amazing how active Russians are on social media and your accounts will surge should you post while in the country. Throw in a few Cyrillic hashtags and watch your account numbers rocket.

FANS WILL LOATHE
With cold soups, bland dumplings and dried fish, Russian cuisine is not to everybody’s tastebuds.  Fortunately, there are plenty Georgian restaurants to choose from, which are both excellent and economical.

FANS WILL LOVE
The World Cup will take place during St Petersburg's White Nights Festival, which means perpetual daylight in a city that genuinely never sleeps. (Think toddlers walking the streets with their grandmothers at 4am.)

FANS WILL LOATHE
The walk from Krestovsky Ostrov metro station to Saint Petersburg Arena on a rainy day makes you wonder why some of the $1.7 billion was not spent on a weather-protected walkway.

The%20Woman%20King%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Gina%20Prince-Bythewood%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Viola%20Davis%2C%20Thuso%20Mbedu%2C%20Sheila%20Atim%2C%20Lashana%20Lynch%2C%20John%20Boyega%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company%20Profile
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MATCH INFO

Bangla Tigers 108-5 (10 ovs)

Ingram 37, Rossouw 26, Pretorius 2-10

Deccan Gladiators 109-4 (9.5 ovs)

Watson 41, Devcich 27, Wiese 2-15

Gladiators win by six wickets

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

Specs

Engine: 3.0L twin-turbo V6
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 405hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 562Nm at 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.2L/100km
Price: From Dh292,845 (Reserve); from Dh320,145 (Presidential)
On sale: Now

At a glance

Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.

 

Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year

 

Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month

 

Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30 

 

Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse

 

Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth

 

Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances

What's in the deal?

Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024

India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.

India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.

Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments

India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery

MATCH INFO

Liverpool 3

Sadio Man 28'

Andrew Robertson 34'

Diogo Jota 88'

Arsenal 1

Lacazette 25'

Man of the match

Sadio Mane (Liverpool)

PROFILE OF HALAN

Started: November 2017

Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport and logistics

Size: 150 employees

Investment: approximately $8 million

Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar

SPEC SHEET

Display: 10.4-inch IPS LCD, 400 nits, toughened glass

CPU: Unisoc T610; Mali G52 GPU

Memory: 4GB

Storage: 64GB, up to 512GB microSD

Camera: 8MP rear, 5MP front

Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, 3.5mm audio

Battery: 8200mAh, up to 10 hours video

Platform: Android 11

Audio: Stereo speakers, 2 mics

Durability: IP52

Biometrics: Face unlock

Price: Dh849

'THE WORST THING YOU CAN EAT'

Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.

Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines: 

Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.

Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.

Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.

Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.

Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Tips for job-seekers
  • Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
  • Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.

David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Updated: July 09, 2024, 12:07 PM`