Egypt, Qatar to Develop New Strategy for Investment Cooperation

Chairman of the Egyptian Investment Authority Hossam Heiba meets with Tariq Al-Ansari, Qatar's ambassador to Cairo. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Chairman of the Egyptian Investment Authority Hossam Heiba meets with Tariq Al-Ansari, Qatar's ambassador to Cairo. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT

Egypt, Qatar to Develop New Strategy for Investment Cooperation

Chairman of the Egyptian Investment Authority Hossam Heiba meets with Tariq Al-Ansari, Qatar's ambassador to Cairo. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Chairman of the Egyptian Investment Authority Hossam Heiba meets with Tariq Al-Ansari, Qatar's ambassador to Cairo. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Egypt and Qatar discussed developing a new strategy and work mechanism to increase economic and investment cooperation between the two countries.

CEO of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) Hossam Heiba met with Qatari Ambassador Tariq Ali al-Ansari in Cairo to explore avenues for increasing economic cooperation.

After the meeting, GAFI issued a statement, a copy of which was received by Asharq Al-Awsat, saying they focused on establishing cooperation mechanisms that would facilitate seamless economic integration.

The mechanisms may involve implementing mutually beneficial projects in Egypt or the infusion of joint investments into emerging markets, particularly the African market, especially after activating the African Free Trade Area Agreement and Egypt's accession to the BRICS Plus group.

Heiba asserted the importance of continuous communication with Qatari companies investing in Egypt, stressing the need to engage with them, encouraging them to inject new investments and overcome any challenges they may encounter.

Additionally, efforts were made to connect with major Qatari companies interested in investing in Egypt, presenting them with attractive opportunities in various sectors such as real estate, entrepreneurship, logistics, and distribution centers.

During the meeting, Heiba reviewed investment developments in Egypt and the new investment guarantees and incentives provided to investors.

The official also explained the facilities provided to investors, including facilitating land ownership, expanding the issuance of the golden license, and enhancing governance, transparency, and competitive neutrality in the Egyptian market.

He highlighted the integrated and competitive package of incentives and facilities for each economic sector, which contributed to achieving a qualitative shift in the rate of establishing companies.

The Qatari ambassador praised Egypt's economic reforms and measures, expressing the confidence of Qatari investors in the Egyptian economy.

Ansari announced plans for the coordination between representatives of the Egyptian government to hold the Qatar-Egypt Investment Forum regularly after its success in 2023.

Cairo hosted the Qatar-Egypt Investment Forum last November, during which Egyptian and Qatari companies signed several agreements and memorandums of understanding in real estate, food industries, and cars.



FII: Artificial Intelligence Represents Future of Global Economy

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan speaks at one of the sessions of the second day of the conference. (SPA)
Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan speaks at one of the sessions of the second day of the conference. (SPA)
TT

FII: Artificial Intelligence Represents Future of Global Economy

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan speaks at one of the sessions of the second day of the conference. (SPA)
Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan speaks at one of the sessions of the second day of the conference. (SPA)

Economic policymakers and decision-makers have identified key points for leveraging artificial intelligence to shape the future of investment and drive global economic growth.

These insights were discussed on Wednesday in dialogue sessions at the eighth annual Future Investment Initiative conference held in Riyadh. Sessions on the second day, attended by over 7,000 participants and 600 international speakers, also emphasized building bridges of understanding, uniting global communities to tackle challenges, and underscored the importance of a collaborative approach.

Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan announced that the Kingdom is one of the world’s most attractive regions for investors seeking to achieve their investment goals.

The minister stated that Saudi Arabia is deepening its commitment to Vision 2030 for economic transformation, revealing that the non-oil sector now represents 52% of the Kingdom’s economy, a result attributed to the vision’s objectives.

Speaking during an opening session on the second day of the Future Investment Initiative conference, Al-Jadaan expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far, underscoring that Saudi Arabia ranks among the most capable countries globally in meeting investor needs.

Al-Jadaan explained that the National Center for Performance Measurement, an independent government authority that monitors government performance, reported a few months ago that around 87% of the vision’s targets have either been achieved or are on track.

“We are focusing on the remaining 13% to bring them in line by prioritizing them accordingly,” he added.

He acknowledged that the Kingdom faces challenges in achieving Vision 2030 targets, particularly in human resources and execution capacity, and stated: “We aim to ensure we are unlocking further potential without overburdening the economy.”

Saudi Arabia is currently targeting a 40% female participation rate in the workforce by 2030, having already surpassed the original 30% target. Al-Jadaan highlighted that 45% of small and medium-sized enterprises are led by women.

He also noted that the country is working to align its economic plans with a private sector capable of complementing government efforts.

In one of the discussion sessions, Ashraf Al-Ghazawi, Saudi Aramco’s Executive Vice President, stated that the company produces the world’s lowest carbon-intensity oil. He noted that Aramco operates 17 cogeneration plants, contributing to a reduction of approximately 7 million tons of carbon emissions.

Additionally, Abdulrahman Al-Faqeeh, CEO of the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), revealed that the company successfully cut carbon emissions at its facilities by 12.5 percent by the end of last year compared to 2010.

Robert Wilt, CEO of the Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden), highlighted the company’s accelerated efforts to shorten the copper extraction process.

He added: “We have made progress in reducing waste, water consumption, and carbon emissions.”