Egypt to restore daylight savings time after a decade

Clocks across the country will go forward by one hour on the last Friday of April

Many lights have already dimmed in Cairo at night. AFP

Egypt's Cabinet on Wednesday decided to restore daylight savings time nearly a decade after it had stopped the practice.

A statement said Egyptians will put their clocks forward by one hour on the last Friday of April and put them back by the same time at the end of the last Thursday in October.

"The decision was taken in view of the economic conditions and variables the world is witnessing and to save energy," said the statement.

Egypt has over the past year strived to save energy in view of higher costs caused by the Russia-Ukraine war and to make more natural gas available to export to Europe.

The government said it exported $600 million worth of gas to Europe last year and is hoping to increase that to $1 billion this year.

Already, Egypt has dimmed the night-lighting of large squares and government buildings in Cairo and other major cities.