CAIRO: Egypt will discuss the possibility of a bigger-than-expected $4.8 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund when a delegation from the
Washington-based body visits Cairo this month, its finance minister said.

Successive governments have negotiated with the IMF to secure emergency funding that officials had put at $3.2 billion, but no deal has been reached and Egypt's funding problems have steadily worsened during 18 months of political turmoil.

"We will discuss, in the negotiations we are to carry out with the IMF, increasing the loan to $4.8 bln," minister Mumtaz al-Saeed told reporters, adding that he asked the United States on Tuesday for a $500 million grant to support the state budget. -- AGENCIES