Egypt’s General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) wrapped up a series of strategic bilateral talks with international investment agencies, global industrial firms, and major development institutions on the sidelines of the inaugural Alamein–Africa Business Forum.
The high-level engagements—led by GAFI CEO Mohamed Awad alongside Executive Vice President Waleed Anwar, and featuring Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Dr. Mohamed Farid Saleh—focused on accelerating cross-border investments, expanding industrial manufacturing, and widening export corridors across the continent.
Expanding North African Commercial Cooperation
In a step intended to reinforce intra-African trade ties, Awad held a bilateral session with Omar Rekkache, Director General of the Algerian Investment Promotion Agency (AAPI). The discussions centered on establishing joint industrial ventures between Egyptian and Algerian enterprises, leveraging shared production capacities and regional trade agreements to scale into wider sub-Saharan markets.
Automotive and Aerospace Focus: India’s Motherson Explores Egyptian Expansion
Highlighting Egypt’s potential as a regional engineering base, GAFI officials hosted a high-level delegation from India’s Motherson Group, a global manufacturer specializing in automotive and aerospace components.
Gautam Mangar, Head of Business Development at Motherson, confirmed that the company is actively evaluating manufacturing opportunities in Egypt. In turn, Awad pledged GAFI’s full institutional support, pointing to Egypt’s qualified workforce and industrial capabilities. Executive Vice President Waleed Anwar outlined the country’s investment incentives, showcasing Egypt’s Free Zone System for companies targeting export markets.
Driving Trade Finance and SME Growth with Afreximbank
Addressing regional trade access, Awad joined Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade in a strategic meeting with Haytham El Maayergi, Executive Vice President of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).
Discussions centered on three key strategic pillars: accelerating market access for Egyptian small and medium-sized enterprises across high-growth African markets, deploying specialized trade finance and export guarantees to streamline cross-border supply chains, and expanding venture support for early-stage tech startups scaling across the continent.
European Partnerships: Italian SACE Backs Sustainable Infrastructure
Targeting European capital and technology transfer, Minister Farid Saleh and Awad held a side-line summit with Ciro Aquino, Head of Middle East and Africa at SACE, Italy’s export credit agency.
The dialogue established framework priorities for joint co-financing in large-scale infrastructure projects, green energy transition, and digital innovation driven by Egyptian-Italian commercial ventures.
The series of meetings underscores Cairo’s broader strategy to position the coastal hub of New El-Alamein as a premier platform for cross-border commerce, industrial transformation, and regional investment bridging Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
