Both sides agreed to re-empower the Belarusian-Egyptian Joint Working Group on Industrial Cooperation and to begin preparations for the 8th Session of the Egyptian–Belarusian Joint Committee.
Dr. Mohamed Farid Saleh – Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade
- We support the localization of technology that generates tangible value added.
- Food safety and the protection of the Egyptian consumers are a red line, and we are working with the Belarusian side to align the technical specifications in line with the international standards.
H.E. Ambassador Yevgeny Sobolevsky:
- The Egyptian market is a strategic gateway, and we are seeking long-term partnerships that go beyond mere trade exchange.
- We look forward to government support in upgrading production lines in Egypt.
In line with the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade’s (MIFT) strategy to formulate an integrated roadmap aimed at positioning Egypt as a leading regional hub, Dr. Mohamed Farid Saleh, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade (MIFT Minister), met with H.E. Ambassador Yevgeny Sobolevsky of the Republic of Belarus to Egypt and his accompanying delegation. The meeting explored avenues for strengthening bilateral economic cooperation, advancing industrial partnerships, and addressing the technical and regulatory challenges affecting trade flows between the two countries.
On his part, MIFT Minister underscored that Egypt places the highest priority on deepening local manufacturing and attracting value-added industrial investments, as a means of enhancing the competitiveness of the national economy.
He also highlighted the importance of expanding cooperation in the manufacturing and assembly of heavy equipment—such as tractors, trucks, and buses—while continuing to foster a more enabling investment environment.
Both sides reviewed the progress of the existing assembly lines, which have achieved local content ratios of up to 45%, and discussed ways to support their operational sustainability.
The Belarusian side noted that these lines are facing operational challenges, emphasizing the need to put in place appropriate support mechanisms and to consider securing offtake guarantees for a portion of the output, in order to enhance economic viability and ensure sustainable operations.
In this context, MIFT Minister stressed that market fundamentals and profitability are the cornerstones of the sustainability of any industrial project, while reaffirming the State’s openness to examining support for strategic industries within a framework of governance and transparency.
Both sides discussed opportunities to boost Belarusian food exports to the Egyptian market, particularly dairy products—including milk powder and butter—as well as the prospect of exporting infant nutrition products, with a call to review the applicable Egyptian requirements.
Dr. Saleh underscored that infant food products are subject to stringent approvals by the National Food Safety Authority (NFSA), noting that MIFT stands ready to facilitate technical inspection visits to the Belarusian production facilities to ensure full compliance with the Egyptian standards.
The two sides also agreed on the importance of intensifying institutional coordination in the coming period by preparing for the 8th session of the Egyptian–Belarusian Joint Committee and putting the Belarusian-Egyptian Joint Working Group on Industrial Cooperation back in business – a Group that has not convened since July 2023. They also agreed to strengthen engagement between the two countries’ business communities, including across their capital markets.
It was also agreed to organize an Egyptian–Belarusian Business Forum in Minsk on 7 May 2026, in cooperation with the Federation of the Egyptian Chambers of Commerce (FEDCOC), to serve as a platform for showcasing investment opportunities and fostering private-sector partnerships.
