Kazakhstan: Construction has begun on a US$177m integrated cement plant in the Baikaninsky District of Aktobe, Kazakhstan, according to SeeTao news. The plant will have a capacity of 3500t/day (1.2Mt/yr) of cement and is the result of a joint venture between China-based Sinoma and Primus Capital of Kazakhstan, called Qazcem Industries. Sinoma’s parent company China National Building Materials said that the project is being undertaken by its subsidiary Beijing Triumph International Engineering, and that the lifting of the first column for the kiln tail tower had been completed.

Ashat Shaharov, the administrative chief of Aktobe region, said at the groundbreaking ceremony that the plant was a ‘concrete result’ of an agreement reached during the state visit of the President of Kazakhstan to China. He said that after the plant begins operation, it will create 250-300 jobs, and that 187 had already been created during the construction phase.

Sapalbek Tuyakbayev, founder of Primus Capital Holding, said "The construction project of cement plants in the Aktobe region is a successful result of attracting foreign direct investment and introducing advanced international technology. For Primus Capital, this is not the first project involving foreign partners and international capital. We are collaborating with Sinoma Cement to build a high-tech production facility that meets the best international energy efficiency and environmental safety standards."

Egypt: Arabian Cement recorded consolidated net profits of US$18m in the first quarter of 2026. Net sales reached US$57.6m from US$49m. As for the standalone business, the company posted higher net profits of US$18m in the first three months of 2026, compared to US$11m a year earlier.

Philippines: The Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will impose safeguard duties on cement imports from China and Indonesia after both countries' shipments to the Philippines exceeded the de minimis exemption threshold of 3% of total import volume. Under Department Administrative Order 26-03, the DTI will remove China and Indonesia from the list of developing countries exempted from duties on ordinary Portland cement type 1 and blended cement for three years.

The DTI introduced duties on cement imports in October 2025 after the Tariff Commission found a causal link between increased importation and serious injury to the local industry, with measures taking effect in February 2026. China's share of total import volume rose from 11% in 2025 to 23% in the first quarter of 2026, while Indonesia's share rose by 2 percentage points to 8% over the same period. Vietnam remains the top supplier, though its share declined from 79% in 2025 to 63% in the first quarter of 2026.

DAO 26-03 will take effect upon the issuance of a relevant order by the Bureau of Customs.

Morocco: Cement deliveries reached 1.21Mt in May 2026, compared to 1.53Mt in May 2025, representing a decline of 20% year-on-year. According to data published by the Ministry of National Territorial Planning, Urban Planning, Housing and Urban Policy, deliveries in the first five months of 2026 were 5.73Mt, down by 5% year-on-year from 6.05Mt. Statistics are based on internal data from members of the Professional Association of Cement Manufacturers (APC): Asment Temara, Ciments de L’Atlas, Ciments du Maroc, LafargeHolcim Maroc and Novacim.