FINANCIAL SECTOR MOU: NEXT STEPS

UNCLAS CAIRO 000404 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR NEA/ELA, NEA/RA, EB/IDF/OMA USAID FOR ANE/MEA MCCLOUD AND DUNN USTR FOR SAUMS NSC FOR WATERS TREASURY FOR NUGENT AND HIRSON COMMERCE FOR 4520/ITA/ANESA/TALAAT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EAID EFIN EINV EG SUBJECT: FINANCIAL SECTOR MOU: NEXT STEPS -------------- Summary and Introduction -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Now that the first disbursement of $275 million for completion of some of the benchmarks in the Financial Sector MOU has been made, we are considering next steps and a tentative timeline for verification of the remaining benchmarks. Five hundred and twenty-five million dollars in ESF are tied to the remaining benchmarks. As verification of those benchmarks progresses, we will provide the Washington interagency community with copies of the documentation/data required by the Monitoring Plan as soon we receive them from the GOE. The status and next steps in verification of the remaining benchmarks are discussed below. -------------- Policy Item 2 - Government Securities Market -------------- ¶2. (U) The U.S will disburse USD 25 million in DSP funds upon completion of the following three benchmarks for Policy Item 2: Benchmark 2.1 - Implement a Primary Dealers System with dealers underwriting new government debt issuance through auctions and trading of government securities on the open market. Completed - The Primary Dealers System was launched in July 2004. Information on the Decree and Executive Regulations establishing the Primary Dealers System can be found at: www.mof.gov.eg/debt. Benchmark 2.2 - Initiate trading of government bonds off the stock exchange in an open market where buyers and sellers may directly trade. Completed - A secondary market for government securities, working through the Primary Dealers System, has developed and trading is taking place off the stock exchange, i.e., over-the-counter, but the Capital Market Law requires that all over-the-counter transactions be reported to the Capital Market Authority (CMA). Benchmark 2.3 - Establish the legal status of and launch operation of Repurchase Agreements for government securities consistent with international best practices. Pending - A Master Global Repurchase Agreement Contract was adopted by the Ministry of Finance (MOF),stipulating the rights, privileges and requirements of undersigning parties to repurchase agreements. In early November 2006, the National Investment Bank concluded the first agreement of its kind with the Commercial International Bank, for the sale and repurchase of part of its portfolio of Treasury bonds over a two-week period. This was the first repurchase agreement of Treasury bonds to take place in the Egyptian market. CMA Chairman, Dr. Hani Sarrei El Din, also issued decision No. 2/2007 in mid-January, setting the legal framework through which selling and repurchasing transactions of bonds - both governmental and corporate - are executed on the stock exchange. The CBE, however, has not signed off on the Master Global Repurchase Agreement Contract, so the benchmark is still pending. After the CBE signs, three months of data are necessary, per the Monitoring Program, to verify that the market is truly operational. -------------- -------------- Policy Item 3: Financial Sector Reform/Privatization -------------- -------------- ¶3. (U) The U.S. will disburse USD 200 million in DSP funds, on an annual pro rata basis, upon completion of the following benchmark for Policy Item 3: Benchmark 3.5 - The private sector banks' share of new loans made in the banking system during the previous calendar year will be equal to at least 62.5 percent. Intermediate progress toward this goal will be measured from the baseline determined by the initial audit referenced in benchmark 3.1 (of the MOU),and calculated each year by annual audits of banks according to IASB standards (Note: Though the MOU calls for IASB standards, the international audit firms will use the newer, more stringent IFRS standards for the conversion of the audits. End note). Pro-rata disbursements against this benchmark may be made for annual increases in the private sector banks' share. Pending - USAID is currently working with CBE to obtain the required data on the private sector banks for the baseline year 2005 (information which the CBE already has). The fiscal year for private sector banks ends on Dec 31, so the data for 2006 will be submitted by the banks to the CBE within the next few months. USAID will obtain copies of the 2006 data from CBE as soon as possible. ¶4. (U) The U.S. will disburse USD 250 million in DSP funds, on an annual pro rata basis, upon completion of the following benchmarks for Policy Item 3: Benchmark 3.6 - The share of non-performing loans (NPLs) as a proportion of all loans in the banking system will be reduced by 50 percent from the baseline determined by the audit of the four largest state-owned banks and the annual audit of private sector banks. Pending - We are working to get the international audit firms access to the audits of the two remaining state-owned banks as quickly as possible. The GOE fiscal year ended June 30, 2006, and the statutorily-required audits conducted according to Egyptian standards are almost complete, according to CBE Deputy Governor Tarek Amer. The international firms will need 4 - 6 months to complete the conversion of the audits to IFRS. A joint statement released in January by the CBE, MOF and the Ministry of Investment (MOI),noted that LE 16 billion of NPLs owed by public enterprises to public banks were settled, equivalent to more than two-thirds of the debts owed by these companies. In addition, LE 50 billion in private sector NPLs to the public banks were also settled, bringing total NPLs resolved to date to LE 66 billion. The statement also announced that the financial positions of the public banks would be bolstered by LE 6 billion in the form of capital increases. LE 2 billion would be allocated to the National Bank of Egypt, and the rest to Banque Misr. Benchmark 3.7 - The cash recovery on NPLs will equal at least 20 percent of the book value of NPLs to be disposed of under the previous benchmark. Pending - According to the CBE, of the LE 66 billion in NPLs that have been settled, 27 percent were collected, including cash recoveries of 24 percent of the overall debts resolved. -------------- -------------- Policy Item 4: Strengthening the Financial Sector and Policy Item 5: Corporate Governance -------------- -------------- ¶5. (U) The U.S. will disburse USD 50 million in DSP funds upon completion of the following six benchmarks for Policy Items 4 and 5: Benchmarks 4.1 - Issuance of regulations that would: - Establish standards for real estate appraisal; Completed - The format for the appraisal report was established by the Mortgage Finance Authority (MFA) and MOI, through the national project for urban real estate registration, which is being implemented by the Ministry of State Administration Development (MSAD). The appraisal report standardization is set forth in the rules of the Appraisers Association, which is regulated by the MFA. - Establish a real estate appraisal and certification program; Completed - Over 80 appraisers have been certified by the MFA and can now conduct approved appraisals. The MFA board is also currently developing a ranking of appraisers that conforms to market variables and international standards. The 3-year license renewal examination of the Appraisers Association also now includes review of standards adopted in the real estate regulations (code of conduct and international valuation standards, or IVS). MFA is also considering a proposal by the Association to adopt new licensing procedures specific to various types of real estate appraisal under the IVS. - Establish a national land title registration system, including procedures and appropriate information systems; Pending - Phase I of the new national property and land title registration system is underway in nine pilot zones. The pilot zones are new, recently-built urban communities. A tender was organized by MSAD in September 2006 to solicit a provider for information systems to service the new registration system in those nine zones. The new system is expected to be fully operational in the nine Phase I zones by mid-2008. To prepare older urban areas for application of the new registration system, MSAD and the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) are working to modernize the currently-operational deed registration system in those areas. The procedures have been streamlined and a public awareness campaign initiated in one model location, the Mokattam area of downtown Cairo. MSAD plans to spread the streamlined procedures to all older urban areas of the country in preparation for application of the new property and land title registration system throughout the country by 2013. - Reduce property transfer and/or registration fees to less than 1 percent of the transaction price; Completed - Law 83 was enacted in May 2006 bringing registration fees down to a flat rate, irrespective of the contract value. In early August 2006, MOI issued the new schedule of property registration fees under the amended law as follows: LE 500 for areas up to 100 square meters, LE 1000 for up to 200 sq. meters, LE 1500 for up to 300 sq. meters and LE 3000 for areas over 300 sq. meters. Benchmark 4.2 - Pass legislation to: - Define rules for joint property ownership; Pending - A draft regulation was submitted by USAID contractors to MOJ in February 2006, which included proposals on divided co-ownership of property (condominia). The MOI is using the nine new urban communities mentioned above as a test case for handling this issue. A protocol was signed in September 2006 between the Ministry of Housing and New Urban Communities and MOI to facilitate partial property ownership and land allocation in the new communities. An initial stakeholder workshop is planned for late February 2007, supported by USAID, to discuss reform of property registration legislation, and push for movement on the draft legislation. - Establish land ownership (title) certification for the purpose of securing land holding for residential or commercial property; Pending - The law being prepared by MOJ and MSAD for establishing land ownership (title) certification is still in draft form. Land ownership certification is still problematic. Even if land is initially registered, ownership transfer is not. This is mainly due to cumbersome registration procedures and lack of public awareness. The Title Registration Law No. 142/1964, which is the basis of the new property and land title registration system mentioned above, was implemented in rural areas but not in urban areas. The law has not been changed since its issuance in 1964, nor have supporting regulations or technical instructions ever been issued. Various GOE stakeholders have agreed to form a committee to recommend changes to the law that would support the new property and land title registration system. The committee has not yet been formed. Real estate authorities have, however, formed a committee to draft recommended changes to the executive regulations of the Deeds Registration Law (Law No. 114/1946),the basis of the deed registration system currently operating in older urban areas. The recommendations are expected by the end of February 2007. The MOJ requested USAID review and provide feedback on the recommendations. Benchmark 4.3 - Pass legislation and issue implementing regulations to enact modern bankruptcy procedures, including foreclosure and eviction and procedures that would facilitate joint lender/debtor resolution of outstanding debts. Pending - The MOJ drafted and is presenting a new civil and commercial executive procedures law, that will include simplified articles governing bankruptcy procedures. The draft will be presented to parliament for discussion and approval in the current session. The amended Mortgage Finance Law Regulations, issued in 2006, facilitate foreclosure and eviction and joint lender/debtor resolution of outstanding debts. The number of agents approved by the MFA to certify foreclosure, eviction, and other procedures increased from 14 to 16 in 2006. Benchmark 4.4 - Pass legislation, if required, and implementing regulations that would permit establishment of private credit bureaus. Completed - On August 30, 2005 CBE issued rules and procedures for the licensing of credit bureaus, and also issued approval to establish the first private credit bureau. On January 16, 2006, the CBE Board of Directors approved implementing regulations for the operation of credit bureaus; rules governing the exchange of data and information and the system CBE will employ to monitor credit bureaus. In September 2006 the Egyptian Credit Bureau (ESTAILAM), was established. The bureau has since been renamed "iScore," and has responsibility for credit investigations and credibility ratings for bank loans, real estate transactions, financial leasing and commodity procurement. The minimum required capital for credit bureaus is LE 5 million. Benchmark 4.5 - Facilitate securitization through completion of legislative changes. Completed - Securitization regulations were introduced into the Capital Market Law in June 2004. In April 2006, further legislative amendments were made to the Capital Market Law, specifying rules of establishment and operation of securitization companies. In late June 2006, the MFA announced the establishment of the Egyptian Liquidity Facility (ELF) to play the role of market-maker through re-financing the portfolios of banks and companies involved in the mortgage industry with interest rates lower than the prevailing market rates. The ELF also performs securitization for primary mortgage financing institutions. In November 2006, the CMA issued rules on securitization to allow a securitization company or special-purpose vehicle (SPV) to issue more than one securitization bond using different loan portfolios. This significantly decreased securitization transaction costs and increased efficiency, while protecting rights of investors in these bond issues through full legal, financial and accounting segregation of assets and liabilities belonging to each bond issue. As of February 1, 2007, the total value of securitized bonds reached 800 million LE. Benchmark 4.6 - Publish a corporate governance best practice code to generate awareness and encourage companies to comply with the code. Completed - Guidelines for private sector corporate governance were issued by the MOI in the form of Ministerial Decree No. 332/2005 in October 2005. The guidelines were prepared in accordance with OECD corporate governance principles, but are not binding. The guidelines apply primarily to share-holding and limited-liability companies, established under Law 159 for 1981 (the Companies Law) and Law 95 for 1992 (the Capital Market Law),in addition to brokerages. A code of corporate governance for public sector companies was published at the beginning of July 2006 by the Egyptian Institute of Directors, and these guidelines are binding. -------------- Policy Item 6: Insurance Sector -------------- ¶6. (U) The U.S. will disburse USD 25 million in DSP funds upon completion of the following benchmark of Policy Item 6: Benchmark 6.1 - Privatization of the candidate public insurance company. Pending - The due diligence diagnostic reports for the four public insurance companies were completed in September 2006. The Insurance Holding Company is currently reorganizing the insurance companies in preparation for privatization. If progress continues at the current pace, full privatization of one of the companies is possible by mid-2007 at the earliest. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶7. (SBU) The next likely disbursement of ESF will be for progress on the pro-rata benchmarks in Policy Item 3. The fully converted and analyzed data for these benchmarks are not likely to be available until June, at the earliest. Once the data have been verified as fulfilling the requirements of the Monitoring Program, a disbursement of approximately $150 million could be possible in the July - September timeframe. If the Repurchase Agreement in Policy Item 2 is signed by CBE during this timeframe and CBE can provide three months worth of data verifying the market is operational, an additional $25 million could be added to the above figure.