CEO of British International Investment (BII) Leslie Maasdorp praised the reforms implemented by Egypt under President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and the efforts made to improve the investment climate. In an exclusive interview with the Middle East News Agency (MENA) at the end of a several-day visit to Cairo, Maasdorp said BII generally supports all measures taken by the Egyptian government to create an attractive investment environment.
Regarding his assessment of Egypt’s reforms in recent years, he said the institution closely follows government efforts aimed at enhancing a level playing field and creating a favorable environment for private-sector growth, stressing that private-sector development is essential for job creation, economic prosperity and sustained productivity growth.
Maasdorp noted that BII, the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor, announced during his visit a new strategy for Egypt aimed at strengthening the partnership between the two sides, accelerating reforms, increasing investment and supporting sustainable and inclusive long-term growth.
He stressed that Egypt is a key strategic partner and a cornerstone of BII’s new strategy. Addressing Egypt’s position within the institution’s five-year strategy, Maasdorp said BII plans to invest £9 billion across Africa, including £5 billion from its own balance sheet, while the remaining amount will be mobilized from private-sector investors.
He added that Egypt has remained a priority market for BII for many years, supported by a strong two-decade partnership and steadily growing investments. He noted that BII is owned by the UK government and operates within the framework of a strong sovereign relationship between the UK and Egypt, reflecting the strength of bilateral ties.
In this context, he referred to the planned visit of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Egypt next July. Maasdorp highlighted Egypt’s significant geopolitical importance, describing it as a regional hub through which BII can expand into other markets such as Morocco and Tunisia.
He also praised Egypt’s achievements in renewable energy. Reaffirming Egypt’s importance, he said the country will remain one of BII’s highest-priority markets in the coming years and continues to be the institution’s largest investment market in Africa by portfolio value.
He said this reflects Egypt’s economic weight, strategic location and opportunities in renewable energy, infrastructure, financial services and green industries, as well as its growing role as a regional hub for clean energy, trade and logistics. Maasdorp said BII’s total commitments in Egypt have reached approximately $1.3 billion since it began direct investments in the Egyptian market in 2012, reflecting the scale of opportunities available and the strength of the existing partnership.