Minister of Industry Khaled Hashem on Saturday, May 16, 2026, said that Egypt considers industrial and technological cooperation as the main driver for building sustainable economic partnerships between Russia and Muslim countries, stressing Cairo’s commitment to deepening industrial and technological cooperation with those nations.
The minister made the remarks during his participation in the plenary session of the “Russia–Islamic World: Kazan 2026” forum in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, attended by a number of ministers, senior officials, and representatives of governments as well as economic and industrial institutions from Russia and Muslim countries.
Hashem, according to a statement issued on Saturday, May 16, 2026, said that Egyptian-Russian relations are witnessing an advanced stage of strategic partnership with direct support from President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and Russian President Vladimir Putin. He noted that cooperation between the two countries has gone beyond the traditional framework of trade to encompass industry, energy, technology, food security, and supply chains.
The minister explained that Egypt is working to consolidate its position as a regional industrial and logistics hub linking Africa, the Arab world, Europe, and Asia, benefiting from its strategic location, extensive trade agreements, modern infrastructure, and advanced economic and industrial zones, foremost among them the Suez Canal Economic Zone.
He also highlighted the strategic importance of the Russian Industrial Zone in Ain Sokhna as one of the most significant industrial cooperation projects between the two countries, affirming that the Egyptian state is ready to provide all necessary facilitation measures to accelerate the launch of the project and move it into the stages of construction, operation, and production.
Hashem further pointed to promising opportunities for cooperation with the Republic of Tatarstan in the fields of engineering industries, petrochemicals, industrial equipment, energy, technology, and technical training. He praised Tatarstan’s advanced industrial experience and its success in localizing technology and promoting export-oriented manufacturing.