Minister of Industry Khaled Hashem said on Thursday, May 14, 2026, that there are significant opportunities to localize Russian industries in Egypt, especially in engineering, pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, fertilizers, energy equipment manufacturing, feeder industries, and technical training services.
The Minister gave the remarks during an expanded meeting with Russian Deputy Industry and Trade Minister Roman Chekushov and Deputy of the State Council of the Republic of Tatarstan Oleg Vladimirovich on the sidelines of the Russia–Islamic World: Kazan 2026 Forum.
The meeting tackled ways to strengthen industrial, trade and investment cooperation between Egypt and Russia and accelerate the implementation of joint strategic projects. Hashem praised the strong historical and strategic ties between Egypt and Russia, stressing the support these relations receive from the leadership of both countries.
He affirmed the Egyptian government’s readiness to provide all necessary facilities and measures to accelerate implementation and coordinate on any outstanding procedures. The talks reviewed developments related to the Russian industrial zone project within the Suez Canal Economic Zone, with the minister noting that Egypt has already allocated around 300,000 square meters for the project’s first phase.
The two sides also discussed cooperation opportunities with major Russian companies in industrial vehicle manufacturing and assembly in Egypt, with the aim of accessing African and Arab markets through Egypt’s trade agreements. For his part, Chekushov said Russian companies are interested in expanding industrial investments in Egypt, praising the country’s modern infrastructure, broad trade agreements, and export capabilities.
He added that the Russian industrial zone represents a strategic priority for Moscow, noting that procedures related to the industrial developer are currently being accelerated ahead of implementation. The Egyptian and Russian delegations also toured a number of industrial zones and factories in Tatarstan to review the republic’s experience in industrial development, particularly in technology-intensive industries and specialized industrial zones.