Both sides discussed strengthening the economic partnership and expanding prospects for investment and joint manufacturing
- Dr. Mohamed Farid:
- We possess a strong political will to transform Egyptian–Belarusian relations into an integrated industrial partnership.
- The current volume of trade exchange does not reflect the depth of relations or the true potential of both countries.
- We call for a new phase of cooperation based on joint manufacturing and technology localization.
- Egypt represents a strategic gateway to Arab and African markets for Belarusian investments.
- We welcome the expansion of Belarusian companies in the Egyptian market through productive and investment partnerships.
- Economic reforms have enhanced the competitiveness of the investment climate and facilitated company establishment in Egypt.
- Food security and agricultural mechanization represent key pillars for future cooperation.
- We are working to develop joint pharmaceutical partnerships that support the needs of the African market.
- Tourism is a promising sector for strengthening economic ties between the two countries.
- We are moving relations beyond trade exchange toward genuine industrial integration.
As part of the series of meetings he is holding while chairing the Committee, currently convened in the Belarusian capital, Minsk, Dr. Mohamed Farid, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade (MIFT), delivered a keynote address at the opening session of the 8th Egyptian–Belarusian Joint Trade Committee, held in Minsk. He affirmed that the Committee represents a pivotal platform for advancing economic, trade, and investment cooperation between the two countries and for strengthening the strategic partnership across various fields.
The Minister emphasized that relations between Egypt and Belarus have witnessed tangible progress in recent years, driven by the momentum generated by high-level visits reciprocal, foremost among them the visit of H.E. President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to Belarus in June 2019 and the visit of H.E. President Alexander Lukashenko to Egypt in February 2020, in addition to the successive visits of high-level Belarusian delegations during 2024 and 2025. These developments reflect the depth of political relations and the commitment of both sides to elevating them to broader levels of economic and investment cooperation.
He further affirmed that the current session’s proceedings would constitute an important milestone in defining the priorities of joint cooperation during the coming phase, praising the constructive discussions held during the experts’ meetings, which addressed various areas of cooperation, including trade, investment, industry, agriculture, grain storage, financial cooperation, customs, scientific research, technology, higher education, information and communications technology, and tourism. This reflects the broad and diversified scope of cooperation between the two countries.
The Minister noted that the current volume of trade exchange, which reached approximately USD 60 million in 2025, does not reflect the true potential or the distinguished level of relations between the two countries.
Dr. Farid also reviewed the promising opportunities for increasing Egyptian exports to the Belarusian market, including fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, frozen fish, essential oils, cosmetics, textiles and ready-made garments, furnishings and carpets, plastic products, as well as pharmaceutical products and medical supplies. He emphasized that these sectors represent an important foundation for enhancing trade exchange between the two sides.
He further pointed to the opportunities available for Belarusian products in the Egyptian market, particularly flax, dairy products, tractors, trucks, and timber, affirming that the Egyptian market represents a key gateway for access to regional and African markets.
The Minister explained that relations between the two countries are founded on a strong base in the fields of heavy industries, machinery, and agriculture, stressing the need to move these relations beyond their traditional framework toward an integrated industrial partnership based on joint manufacturing and technology localization.
In this context, he called on Belarusian companies to expand within the Egyptian market through establishing productive partnerships and localizing industry, enabling them to benefit from the competitive advantages offered by Egypt’s investment climate, the various governmental incentives, and the trade agreements that provide access to broad markets across the Arab region, the African continent, and global markets.
He further affirmed that Egypt has implemented, over recent years, a series of institutional and legislative reforms that have contributed to facilitating investment procedures and reducing the time and cost required to establish companies and commence operations, thereby enhancing the attractiveness of the business environment and reflecting the state’s orientation toward supporting the private sector and attracting high-quality investments.
He also extended an invitation to the Belarusian business community to strengthen its presence in the Egyptian market through partnerships based on joint investment, technology transfer, and industrial and technical cooperation, in a manner that achieves mutual benefit for both sides and supports the path of economic development.
The Minister highlighted the importance of focusing on priority sectors, foremost among them heavy industries, machinery and equipment, tractors, pharmaceutical industries, transport equipment, information technology, dairy products, and timber manufacturing, considering them promising areas for industrial integration between the two countries.
In this context, he outlined three main pillars for enhancing future cooperation. The first focuses on food security and agricultural mechanization through supporting the establishment of assembly and manufacturing lines within Egypt based on Belarusian technology, to serve both the local market and regional markets.
He added that the second pillar relates to pharmaceutical industries through expanding cooperation in the production of human and veterinary medicines, with a view toward establishing a joint pharmaceutical manufacturing zone in Egypt to meet the needs of the African market.
He noted that the third pillar focuses on the tourism sector through strengthening cooperation and increasing mutual tourism flows, given Egypt’s well-established position as a preferred destination for Belarusian tourists.
Dr. Mohamed Farid concluded his remarks by emphasizing the importance of the existing institutional frameworks between the two countries, foremost among them the Joint Working Group on Industrial Cooperation and the Joint Business Council, considering them supportive platforms for enhancing economic and trade cooperation.
He also expressed his confidence that the outcomes of the 8th session of the Joint Trade Committee would contribute to advancing economic relations between Egypt and Belarus toward broader horizons of integration and partnership, in a manner that serves the shared interests of the two friendly countries.
The Minister further extended his sincere thanks and appreciation to H.E. Mr. Artur Karpovich, Belarusian Minister of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade, and to the Government of the Republic of Belarus for hosting the Committee’s meetings.
