Egypt is stepping up efforts to help its companies expand across African markets, with the government seeking to remove regulatory barriers, improve access to financing and create stronger links between Egyptian businesses and African development institutions.
Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, who also serves as Egypt’s governor at the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA), said the state was committed to supporting Egyptian companies operating or seeking to invest in Africa by coordinating with African governments and institutions to address procedural and regulatory obstacles.
Abdelatty made his remarks during an expanded dialogue with representatives of Egypt’s private sector, held in the presence of BADEA Chairman Fahd Al-Doseri, as part of a new edition of sessions designed to strengthen cooperation between the Foreign Ministry, Egyptian businesses and development partners.
The discussions come as Egypt seeks to deepen its economic engagement with Africa and position its private sector to take greater advantage of opportunities created by regional integration, infrastructure development and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Abdelatty called for the establishment of an Egyptian investment entity dedicated to coordinating the country’s investments in Africa, with the participation of government institutions, banks and the private sector.
He also affirmed the need for an integrated database covering investment opportunities and priority projects across African countries, saying such a mechanism would help Egyptian companies identify viable projects, expand their operations and improve their chances of success.
Furthermore, the minister highlighted government measures to support development across the continent, including a financing mechanism to study and implement development and infrastructure projects, and the establishment of the Egyptian Export and Investment Guarantee Agency to provide guarantees that reduce investment risks for Egyptian companies entering African markets.
During the Cairo meeting, the Foreign Ministry’s economic sector presented its “Hafiz” platform, which provides financial and technical support through partner banks and financial institutions.
Participants called for the platform to be integrated with the BRIDGE dialogue sessions to establish direct channels between the Foreign Ministry, Egyptian companies and international development partners.
On their part, BADEA representatives outlined the bank’s financial instruments and financing opportunities available to private-sector companies seeking to implement projects in African countries.
Abdelatty placed particular emphasis on small and medium-sized enterprises, saying they should benefit from the services available through the Hafiz platform.
The Foreign Ministry has conducted awareness-raising visits to several Egyptian governorates to promote the platform, with about 219 companies from sectors including tourism, handicrafts, agriculture, food processing, ready-made garments and textiles, engineering, logistics and information technology taking part.
The meeting concluded with an open discussion between Abdelatty, the BADEA chairman and private-sector representatives, who raised challenges affecting their operations in African markets and discussed ways to improve access to financing, investment opportunities and government support.
Officials in Cairo said the effort is intended to create a more cohesive platform for Egyptian companies seeking opportunities in Africa, linking investment promotion, financing and market-access initiatives under a broader continental expansion strategy
