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UAE says no plans for more aid to Egypt

Abu Dhabi - The United Arab Emirates, a major donor to Egypt since the army removed former president Mohammed Morsi from power, has no plans at present to step up its financial aid, the Gulf Arab state's finance minister said on Thursday.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al-Maktoum, who is also the deputy ruler of Dubai, said: "We're talking about support (for Egypt)."

Asked whether there were plans for more financial aid, he said: "No plans for now."

The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait promised more than $12bn in loans and donations to support the Egyptian economy after Morsi's removal in July last year.

The head of Egypt's national oil company said earlier this month that Gulf oil producers had given Egypt a free fuel lifeline worth a total of $6bn to help fend off unrest in the summer when consumption soars.

The aid should help reduce the heavy costs of government fuel subsidies and ease the drain on foreign exchange reserves.

Fuel subsidies cost Egypt's government $15bn a year, a fifth of the state budget.

The money keeps pump prices well below market values, giving Egyptians no incentive to curb their fuel consumption.

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