TOKYO: Egypt ‌is finalizing plans for its first yen-denominated bond sale in three years, ​Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told Reuters on a trip to Japan on Thursday.

The African Development Bank said in December it would partially guarantee Cairo’s planned $500 million-equivalent Samurai bonds on the Japanese ‌markets this ‌year.

“We are completing ​the ‌final ⁠steps,” ​Abdelatty said ⁠on the sidelines of an event in Tokyo, adding that he had been promoting the sale and other investment opportunities while in Japan.

“We had extensive discussions ⁠with our Japanese friends ‌on monetary, fiscal, ‌financial support, especially ​with regard ‌to budget support and samurai bonds ‌as well.”

Egypt’s struggling economy has been boosted in recent years by major real estate investments and an $8 ‌billion IMF loan, though the Iran war is piling pressure ⁠on ⁠its precarious finances by hiking energy costs and pushing up inflation.