Egypt Launches E-Registration for New Companies

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly witnesses the first e-founding of a company in Egypt. (Egyptian government)
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly witnesses the first e-founding of a company in Egypt. (Egyptian government)
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Egypt Launches E-Registration for New Companies

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly witnesses the first e-founding of a company in Egypt. (Egyptian government)
Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly witnesses the first e-founding of a company in Egypt. (Egyptian government)

Egypt has launched an e-platform for the establishment of new companies in a concerted effort to eliminate barriers hindering potential investors and ensure the realization of “investment leaps.”

Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly witnessed a live demonstration on Wednesday of the first company to be founded electronically.

The Damietta Company for Green Ammonia was electronically registered via the digital platform of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI).

Madbouly stated that the objective is to “infuse greater flexibility into the executive procedures for company establishment, in line with the Egyptian state’s plans to enhance the investment climate.”

The premier emphasized the need to “promote the newly introduced service to attract investors and acquaint them with the steps for electronic company formation, facilitating the process for them.”

Madbouly also underscored the provision of technical support to ensure service quality and mitigate any issues.

Chairman of GAFI Hossam Heiba explained that investors would register the company and pay fees online. Then, the authority would complete all the measures with the various concerned parties and send the documents to the investors by courier.

“The launch of the service of founding [companies] through the electronic gate is one the authority's plans to enhance the quality of service offered to investors and abide by the highest standards of competitiveness and transparency,” he added.

“Investors will not deal with bureaucracy again and that will not entail extra burdens, as the cost of online foundation is the same as that paid in investor service centers nationwide,” he showcased.

Walid Gaballah, an economic expert and member of the Egyptian Society for Economics, Statistics, and Legislation, commended the step, considering it a “pressing need in line with the comprehensive digital transformation pursued by Egypt.”

“The administrative system for investment has faced numerous obstacles in the past due to the sluggish procedures,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.



China Seeks to Bolster Ports and Aviation Hubs in Western Regions

The city skyline is reflected in a pool left on the dry riverbed of the receding Jialing river, a tributary of the Yangtze, that is approaching record-low water levels during a regional drought in Chongqing, China, August 20, 2022.  (Reuters)
The city skyline is reflected in a pool left on the dry riverbed of the receding Jialing river, a tributary of the Yangtze, that is approaching record-low water levels during a regional drought in Chongqing, China, August 20, 2022. (Reuters)
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China Seeks to Bolster Ports and Aviation Hubs in Western Regions

The city skyline is reflected in a pool left on the dry riverbed of the receding Jialing river, a tributary of the Yangtze, that is approaching record-low water levels during a regional drought in Chongqing, China, August 20, 2022.  (Reuters)
The city skyline is reflected in a pool left on the dry riverbed of the receding Jialing river, a tributary of the Yangtze, that is approaching record-low water levels during a regional drought in Chongqing, China, August 20, 2022. (Reuters)

China said on Sunday it would launch 15 measures to bolster the development of its western provinces with the construction of logistical infrastructure such as ports and aviation hubs.

The General Administration of Customs said the measures would enhance the integration of rail, air, river and sea links in China's west, state media reported.

The measures are to include enhancing international aviation hubs in cities including Chengdu, Chongqing, Kunming, Xi'an and Urumqi, while developing comprehensive bonded zones, and integrating these with ports and other transport links.

A number of ports would also be built and expanded.

China has long sought to bolster the economic heft of its western regions, which have markedly lagged coastal provinces.

China's western regions comprise around two-thirds of the country's land area and include regions such as Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan, Xinjiang and Tibet.

China's Politburo last year called for a "new urbanization" of western China to revitalize rural areas, expand poverty alleviation efforts and strengthen energy resources. Efforts have also been made to increase linkages to Europe and South Asia through trade corridors including rail freight routes.