Investment and Foreign Trade Minister Mohamed Farid outlined the ministry’s vision for developing Egypt’s investment and foreign trade frameworks, as well as the reforms and measures currently being implemented to facilitate investment procedures, and enhance the competitiveness of the Egyptian economy.
The remarks came during a meeting, organized by the State Information Service (SIS) at the ministry’s headquarters in Cairo, with 57 correspondents and representatives of 27 international and Arab media outlets. The meeting provided an opportunity to outline the ministry’s vision for developing Egypt’s investment and foreign trade frameworks and review ongoing reforms aimed at improving the investor experience.
Farid said the guiding principle for the current phase is “From Strategy to Implementation,” reflecting a shift from developing plans and strategies to translating them into tangible measures that investors can see and experience on the ground. He stressed that Egypt is ready to welcome investment, noting that the goal is not merely to increase investment inflows, but to create an environment capable of attracting new investment while supporting existing companies in expanding their operations and deepening their investments.
This, he said, would help boost production, employment and exports, while promoting the transfer of expertise and technology. The Minister explained that the goal is to create an investment environment that generates success stories and adds to the Egyptian economy’s productive and export capacity through scalable investments that increase output, create jobs and boost exports, while enhancing companies’ ability to access regional and global markets.
He added that the ministry is working to build an integrated investment ecosystem around four key pillars: facilitating business activities; localizing development and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises; effectively targeting, promoting and marketing investment opportunities; and mitigating investment risks and mobilizing capital.
Macroeconomic indicators and private sector-led growth Farid said macroeconomic indicators point to the Egyptian economy’s growing capacity to absorb investment, noting that GDP growth has risen to 5.1% from 4.4%, with the government targeting growth of 5.5%–6%.
He also highlighted continued improvement in several key economic indicators, including net foreign assets, remittances from Egyptians working abroad and international reserves. The Minister stressed that Egypt’s economic and investment transformation is based on expanding private sector participation and strengthening its role in the economy, while providing the enabling environment and tools needed to increase private investment and support greater participation in priority projects and sectors.
Farid said efforts to improve the investment environment are being shaped by the real challenges investors face. He stressed that the government is strengthening its role as an enabler of investment by streamlining procedures, improving coordination among government entities, and reducing the time and cost involved, with the aim of moving from a fragmented system of multiple entities toward a more integrated, efficient framework for investors.
In this context, Farid said the ministry is working on amendments to the Executive Regulations of Companies Law No. 159 of 1981 to facilitate mergers and acquisitions and company valuations, broaden the range of financing instruments, and activate and expand the number of dispute settlement and agreements committees.