CAIRO- Egypt signed contracts with a value of approximately $1.5 billion with six banks and financial institutions to finance a diesel production complex in the city of Asyut, the country's petroleum ministry said on Wednesday.

The contracts were signed with Italy's state lender Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), Credit Agricole CIB, UniCredit SpA, HSBC Bank Middle East, BNP Paribas SA, and Societe Generale SA .

(Reporting by Ahmed Ismail; Writing by Lina Najem; Editing by Toby Chopra) ((Lina.Najem@thomsonreuters.com;))