Gas-rich Qatar threw Egypt another unconditional financial lifeline yesterday as the Arab world’s most populous nation struggles to secure an IMF loan to ease its economic crisis.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani said after talks with Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Kandil that Qatar would provide an extra $3 billion on top of $5 billion the Gulf state has already given Cairo, and would extend gas supplies to Egypt this summer.

He told a joint news conference that Qatar, the biggest financial backer of Egypt‘s Islamist-led government, did not ask for anything in return for aid.

Egyptian Planning Minister Ashraf al-Araby told Reuters it had not yet been decided whether the aid would take the form of bonds or a deposit at the Egyptian Central Bank.

Kandil said media reports of tensions with Qatar over tax and regulatory issues involving Qatari banks seeking to buy assets in Egypt were wrong.

The new financial injection could buy Egypt time as it seeks to avert social unrest over fuel shortages and food price increases during a long, hot summer in the run-up to parliamentary elections expected in October.