- The Minister headed the Egyptian side in the meetings of the Egyptian–Belarusian Joint Committee in the capital, Minsk.
- Intensive efforts are underway to deepen investment and trade cooperation and to open direct channels between the business communities in both countries.
- Dr. Mohamed Farid Saleh
- We are working to build an economic partnership with Belarus based on facilitating and increasing investment, trade, and joint manufacturing.
- Egypt possesses competitive advantages that qualify it to become a regional hub for production and export to African and Arab markets.
- A joint business forum was held with the participation of 24 Egyptian companies to promote private sector cooperation between the two countries.
- We aim to attract high-quality investments that contribute to technology transfer, deepen local manufacturing, and increase added value.
- The establishment of two industrial investment funds is planned to support industrial projects within Egypt and in African markets.
- Mr. Yuri Chebotar, Belarusian Minister of Economy:
- We are keen to strengthen economic and investment cooperation with Egypt and expand partnerships in the industries of machinery, heavy equipment, vehicles, and food industries.
In line with the vision and objectives of the Egyptian government to strengthen international economic partnerships and deepen investment and trade cooperation in a way that supports the productive and industrial capabilities of the Egyptian economy, Dr. Mohamed Farid Saleh, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, began his visit to the Belarusian capital, Minsk, at the head of an Egyptian delegation participating in the meetings of the Egyptian–Belarusian Joint Committee. The visit commenced with an expanded meeting with Mr. Yuri Chebotar, Belarusian Minister of Economy, to discuss ways to develop economic, trade, and investment relations between the two countries in the coming phase.
The Minister affirmed that the visit comes within the framework of the Egyptian state's efforts to expand the base of economic partnerships with friendly countries, in a manner that supports the priorities of the Egyptian economy, including attracting Foreign Direct Investment, enhancing manufacturing capabilities, increasing exports, localizing technology, and creating decent and sustainable job opportunities.
Dr. Mohamed Farid Saleh pointed out that the strategy of the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade is based on achieving integration between the investment and trade portfolios by creating a more competitive business environment and linking investment promotion efforts with trade and industrial expansion, thereby strengthening the Egyptian economy’s ability to access regional and international markets.
The Minister explained that Egypt possesses numerous advantages that qualify it to become an attractive platform for industrial investments, given its strategic location, extensive network of free trade agreements, advanced infrastructure, and the availability of investment zones equipped to receive new investments. This enables foreign companies to use Egypt as a hub for manufacturing and exporting to African and Arab markets.
He added that the visit includes organizing an Egyptian–Belarusian Business Forum with the participation of 24 Egyptian companies, aimed at enhancing direct communication between the business communities in both countries and exploring cooperation and partnership opportunities in priority sectors, particularly engineering industries, machinery and equipment, food industries, agriculture and agro-processing, and pharmaceuticals.
The Minister also reviewed the progress in establishing two industrial investment funds under the umbrella of the Sovereign Fund; one dedicated to investing in industrial projects within Egypt, and the other aimed at supporting investments in sectors aligned with Egypt’s development priorities across the African continent. This comes within a comprehensive vision to strengthen value chains and increase the contribution of the industrial sector to economic growth.
The Minister noted that the government’s Initial Public Offering (IPO) program represents one of the key pillars for enhancing private sector participation and broadening the ownership base.
In a related context, Dr. Mohamed Farid Saleh affirmed that the Egyptian capital market has recently witnessed regulatory and legislative developments that have contributed to improving market efficiency, enhancing transparency and governance standards, and increasing its attractiveness to investors. He extended an invitation to Belarusian investment funds and financial institutions to explore the investment opportunities available in the Egyptian market.
For his part, the Belarusian Minister of Economy emphasized his country’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with Egypt, noting Belarus’s interest in expanding joint partnerships, particularly in industrial sectors where it has advanced expertise, especially in machinery, heavy equipment, and vehicle manufacturing.
He also expressed strong interest in cooperation in capital markets and in benefiting from Egypt’s leading experience in enhancing market efficiency in recent years.
During the visit, the Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade is scheduled to hold a series of meetings with representatives of major Belarusian companies to explore opportunities for establishing joint projects in Egypt. These efforts aim to support technology localization and deepen domestic industry, in line with the state’s direction toward attracting value-added investments that support sustainable economic development objectives.
