Cairo: Egypt's finance minister says the government has rejected an offer of a USD 750 million rescue loan from the International Monetary Fund.
The offer came after delays in finalising a USD 4.8 billion loan to bolster Egypt's battered economy.
Finance Minister Mursi Saeed Hijazi says Egypt is working on an economic reform programme and is focused on negotiations for the larger IMF loan, explaining why Egypt declined the USD 750 million IMF rescue.
Hijazi said on Tuesday that Egypt's economy is on the path to recovery. The loan, part of the body's Rapid Financing Instrument, would not have been a substitute for Egypt's multibillion dollar request.
Egypt's economy has struggled in the past two years due to political turmoil. Foreign currency reserves have dropped to a critical level of USD 13.5 billion.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, March 12, 2013, 23:16