Egypt re-introduces Daylight Saving Time
Published 8-May-2014. Changed 5-Jun-2014
Egypt will begin observing Daylight Saving Time on Thursday, May 15, 2014, when clocks will be set forward one hour.
Update June 5, 2014:
The government of Egypt recently announced the dates and times for the suspension of Daylight Saving Time (DST) during the month of Ramadan. Clocks will be turned back by one hour at midnight between Thursday, June 26, 2014 and Friday, June 27, 2014; they will be advanced again by an hour at midnight between Thursday, 31 July, 2014 and Friday, August 1, 2014, as DST resumes. Ramadan itself is expected to run from June 29 to July 28 this year.
Update May 15, 2014:
According to local media reports, the Egyptian State Council recently issued a resolution stating that the country will observe Daylight Saving Time (DST) from the last Friday in April to the last Thursday in September in future years. DST will be suspended each year during the Muslim month of Ramadan. The resolution does not state precise times for the DST switches.
Update May 13, 2014:
Information about the precise time of the upcoming DST switch is still difficult to come by. Based on some local sources, we currently assume that clocks will be advanced at midnight between Thursday, May 15, 2014 and Friday, May 16, 2014. We will issue updates as soon as more reliable information becomes available.
Mosque of Muhammad Ali in Cairo.
©thinkstockphoto.com
Egypt's DST schedule in detail
Morocco also suspends DST during Ramadan
DST back after 3 years
The North African country had abolished seasonal time change in 2011 after a poll had revealed that most Egyptians were critical of DST. The recent decision to reinstate the yearly switch is designed to alleviate the energy crisis the country is currently facing. Ironically, the 2011 move to cancel DST in Egypt was backed up by a study from the Ministry of Electricity and Energy showing that turning the clocks had no significant impact on power usage.
Upcoming DST switches worldwide
Some guesswork
The authorities' statement does not specify the precise time of the switch on May 15. However, clocks were turned at midnight local time in recent years.
It is also not clear when DST will be suspended during Ramadan, which is expected to run from June 29 to July 29 this year. However, there may be some variations.
Similarly, no date for the end of this year's DST period was provided. Until 2011, Egypt switched back to standard time on the last Friday of September each year.
timeanddate.com will issue updates as more information becomes available.
Is it Daylight Savings Time or Daylight Saving Time
Time in Egypt
Egypt observes Eastern European Time (EET) as standard time. It is 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). When DST is in force, the country observes Eastern European Summer Time (EEST), which is 3 hours ahead of UTC.