Minister of Industry Khaled Hashem said Egyptian-French relations are witnessing strong momentum during the current period especially in light of French President Emmanuel Macron's multiple visits to Cairo in 2026, which have paved the way for a new phase of partnership between the two countries across various fields.
The remarks were made during the minister's meeting with the French Ambassador to Egypt, Éric Chevallier, to discuss ways to enhance industrial cooperation between Egypt and France in the coming period, in the presence of Assistant Minister for International Cooperation Ahmed Maghawry.
The minister said the Industry Ministry is keen on addressing challenges facing French companies operating in Egypt, noting that the ministry recently handled several issues related to French firms, including L'Oréal. Hashem also said the ministry's strategy for advancing Egyptian industry identifies priority sectors targeted for development and investment attraction, noting that French companies possess extensive expertise in many of these industries, enabling them to contribute to technology transfer, industrial localization, and local capacity-building.
He added that the ministry is focusing on improving the quality of local products, integrating Egyptian manufacturers into global supply chains, and localizing modern technology through technological industrial projects and upgrading industrial processes, particularly in pharmaceuticals and passenger vehicle manufacturing.
The meeting also reviewed the status of French companies operating in Egypt, which exceeds 200 firms, including Schneider Electric, Saint-Gobain, and Valeo, which together provide around 50,000 jobs in the local market. It also highlighted Alstom's ongoing construction of a major industrial complex in Borg El Arab for the manufacturing of transport systems.
Discussions also addressed French efforts to support Egyptian capacity-building through French schools and universities operating in Egypt, as well as cooperation between Egyptian and French universities and research centers, including a collaboration between Alexandria University and Paris-Saclay University to establish a technology incubator at Alexandria University focused on training in artificial intelligence solutions.
The talks further covered cooperation in vocational and technical training in the transport, hospitality management, and agriculture sectors. For his part, the French ambassador affirmed France's interest in strengthening cooperation frameworks with Egypt as one of its key regional partners, noting that many French companies are interested in injecting new investments into the Egyptian market, with a focus on industrial localization, technology transfer, training, and enhancing the efficiency of Egyptian cadres in a way that serves the interests of both countries.
Chevallier also invited the industry minister to participate in the Egyptian-French Business Forum, scheduled to be held in Paris, next September.