Dr. Mohamed Farid holds working sessions with MTZ, MAZ, and Minsk Dairy leadership as part of meetings with leading Belarusian companies.
Dr. Mohamed Farid Stated that:
- Egypt aims to become a regional hub for manufacturing and exporting agricultural machinery and heavy equipment to African and Arab markets.
- A preliminary agreement has been reached to conduct a feasibility study for establishing a joint industrial complex with MTZ to produce tractors in Egypt with high percentage of local components.
- Discussions were held on establishing a joint project in Egypt to produce industrial powdered milk and infant formula.
- Egypt enjoys a competitive advantage as a logistics hub for maintenance and re-export, supported by its network of free trade agreements.
- A business forum bringing together 24 major Egyptian companies in the pharmaceutical, steel, and textile sectors aims to strengthen economic partnerships.
Belarusian Companies Officials:
- Establishing an assembly line or joint factory in Egypt is a priority to overcome supply chain challenges and expand into Africa.
- Full readiness to transfer technical expertise and provide training to the Egyptian side.
- Egypt represents the most important strategic gateway for expanding operations across Africa and the Middle East.
During his official visit to the Republic of Belarus and in his capacity as Chairman of the Egyptian-Belarusian Joint Committee, Dr. Mohamed Farid Saleh, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade (MIFT Minister), conducted an extensive field tour of three major industrial landmarks in Minsk, the Capital of Belarus, to explore practical steps for localizing advanced technologies in Egypt.
MIFT Minister held working sessions with the management of MTZ for tractors and MAZ for trucks and buses as part of an intensive series of meetings with leading Belarusian companies, including Oleonafta Holding, Mareven Food, and AMKODOR, a manufacturer of heavy equipment.
The Minister commenced his tour with a visit to the Minsk Tractor Works (MTZ), where he inspected production lines and advanced welding, painting, and quality control systems for tractors ranging from 80 to 350 horsepower. It is worth noting that MTZ is a leading brand present in more than 60 countries worldwide.
Dr. Farid stressed that Egypt aims to move from importation to joint manufacturing, announcing the agreement to launch a feasibility study for a joint industrial complex with MTZ to localize tractor and heavy agricultural machinery manufacturing with high local component percentage. The complex is envisioned as a manufacturing and export base serving Middle Eastern and African markets, leveraging Egypt’s free trade agreements.
In addition, Dr. Farid mentioned that Egypt seeks to become a regional logistics hub for maintenance services, spare parts supply, and re-export, contributing to reducing imports, saving foreign currency, and providing new job opportunities.
In this regard, MIFT Minister visited MAZ, a leading manufacturer of trucks, buses, and trailers, where opportunities to establish production and assembly lines in Egypt were discussed to meet local demand and expand into neighboring markets, supporting the transport fleet and engineering equipment sector.
On his part, Sergei Avramenko[1], Director General of Minsk Tractor Works, highlighted the company’s long-standing relationship with Egypt, noting that MTZ tractors have operated in Egyptian fields for decades.
He emphasized that establishing an assembly line or joint factory in Egypt is a strategic priority to overcome supply chain challenges and expand into promising Africa markets.
During a tour of Minsk Dairy Plant No. 1, MIFT Minister reviewed the latest technologies used in pasteurization and in the production of cheese, butter, and lactose products. Furthermore, Dr. Farid discussed with officials from Minsk Dairy a proposal to establish a joint project in Egypt to produce powdered milk for industrial uses and infant formula, leveraging local raw materials to increase value added and provide high-quality products at competitive prices.
MIFT Minister explained that these visits are part of a broader vision that includes a joint business forum with 24 Egyptian companies in the pharmaceutical, steel, and textile sectors, aimed at transforming trade cooperation into a sustainable investment partnership.
On their parts, Belarusian companies’ officials expressed their full readiness to transfer technical expertise and training to the Egyptian side, emphasizing that Egypt is their most strategic gateway for expansion across Africa and the Middle East.
[1] Sergei Avramenko is the former Director General of MTZ, while the current Director General is Taras Murog.
