A shipment of 685,440 doses of an updated version of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine landed in Cairo on Tuesday night, the Egyptian Health Ministry has said.
The shipment was sent by Spain, Italy and Croatia through Covax, an initiative led by Gavi, an international vaccine alliance that provides immunisations to poor countries.
It is the second shipment of updated Pfizer vaccines to arrive this week after Egypt received 599,040 doses from France and Sweden on Sunday. The first shipment was also part of the Covax programme.
The new dose, known as the adapted bivalent vaccine, was updated to tackle newer variants of Covid-19, particularly Omicron.
A total of two million doses of the updated vaccine are expected to arrive in Egypt this week.
Doses will be sent to vaccine centres across the country after safety tests by the Egyptian Drug Authority, the Health Ministry said.
It urged people to register for booster shots, particularly those who had been previously immunised with non-Pfizer vaccines.
After a drop in infections last year, Covid-19 had largely disappeared from Egyptians’ consciousness.
However, in January, parliamentary health committee chairman Ashraf Hatem said there had been an increase in cases, which, according to him, marked the start of the seventh wave of Covid-19.
Mr Hatem also urged people not to panic as most of the infections recorded in recent months were minor bouts brought on by the Omicron variant.
Egypt reported 515,792 Covid-19 infections and 24,815 deaths since January 3, 2020.
A total of 108,156,977 vaccine doses have been administered in the same period, according to the World Health Organisation.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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