Egypt Looks Forward to Arab Industrial Integration

The Egyptian Ministers of Industry, Supply and Finance during the inauguration of 13th Kuwait Week Exhibition in Egypt on Tuesday, December 20, 2022. (Asharq Al-Awsat) 
The Egyptian Ministers of Industry, Supply and Finance during the inauguration of 13th Kuwait Week Exhibition in Egypt on Tuesday, December 20, 2022. (Asharq Al-Awsat) 
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Egypt Looks Forward to Arab Industrial Integration

The Egyptian Ministers of Industry, Supply and Finance during the inauguration of 13th Kuwait Week Exhibition in Egypt on Tuesday, December 20, 2022. (Asharq Al-Awsat) 
The Egyptian Ministers of Industry, Supply and Finance during the inauguration of 13th Kuwait Week Exhibition in Egypt on Tuesday, December 20, 2022. (Asharq Al-Awsat) 

Egypt’s Minister of Trade and Industry Ahmed Samir inaugurated on Tuesday the 13th Kuwait Week Exhibition in Cairo. 

More than 60 major Egyptian and Kuwaiti companies have taken part in the two-day event, which is held under the theme “Kuwait in Egypt” and organized by the Kuwaiti embassy in Cairo and Jabriya Exhibition Group.

Ministers of supply, finance, civil aviation, immigration and public business sector also attended the opening ceremony.

Samir said Cairo is keen to bolster economic cooperation and integration among Arab states, which would contribute to achieving food security and launching an industrial system based on exchanging expertise, technologies, and production inputs to reach the level of Arab industrial integration.

“Egypt and Kuwait enjoy strong economic relations at the bilateral and multilateral levels, in line with the Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA) agreement,” Samir said, noting that the two countries also play an important role within the joint Arab action system.

He pointed to the investment opportunities available in Egypt for Kuwait’s business community in various productive and service sectors to provide the needs of the Egyptian market and export to foreign markets,

Samir indicated that the products manufactured in Egypt have free access to many markets and major economic blocs across the world thanks to the preferential free trade agreements signed between Egypt and these countries and blocs.

He said that the event represents an economic bridge that helps boost bilateral economic cooperation in various fields and at different levels.

“Both governments are keen to take advantage of the great potentials and capabilities enjoyed by Egypt and Kuwait and translate them into tangible cooperation projects that serve their people’s interests.”

He underlined the common visions between Kuwaiti and Egyptian officials that stress the importance of strengthening joint efforts to address the negative repercussions of the current global economic crisis resulting from the coronavirus pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian crisis.

The volume of trade exchange between Egypt and Kuwait amounted to about $306 million in 2021, compared to about $252 million in 2020, up 21.4%.

Meanwhile, the volume of trade exchange between the two countries amounted to about $401 million during the first 11 months of 2022.

Kuwait's Ambassador to Egypt Ghanim al-Ghanim, for his part, said holding the event in Cairo underscored the importance of boosting joint cooperation in various fields and at various levels.

He said the event is an expo of Kuwaiti and Egyptian industry, trade, investment, banking, medicine, tourism, media, culture and communication businesses and government bodies.



Saudi Arabia, Italy Sign 26 Investment MoUs

The Saudi-Italian high-level roundtable took place in AlUla on Sunday. SPA
The Saudi-Italian high-level roundtable took place in AlUla on Sunday. SPA
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Saudi Arabia, Italy Sign 26 Investment MoUs

The Saudi-Italian high-level roundtable took place in AlUla on Sunday. SPA
The Saudi-Italian high-level roundtable took place in AlUla on Sunday. SPA

The Saudi-Italian high-level roundtable took place in AlUla on Sunday, with the participation of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Saudi Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih, CEOs, private sector leaders, and representatives from major companies of both countries.

The meeting highlighted the expanding partnership between the two countries and resulted in the signing of 26 memoranda of understanding across key industries, including construction, renewable energy, cultural exchange, and advanced technologies.

It also explored collaborative prospects in green energy, automotive manufacturing, infrastructure development, tourism, agrifood, solar and wind energy projects, sustainable tourism initiatives, and advanced construction technologies.

Italian businesses highlighted their aim to capitalize on an estimated SAR11.8 trillion in Saudi inward investment over the next six years.

Heritage tourism was also a key focus, with participants highlighting Italy’s expertise and Saudi Arabia’s ambition to become a leading global travel destination. As the Kingdom plans to create 1.6 million tourism jobs by 2030, Saudi-Italian partnerships are poised to drive skills development, promote sustainable tourism, and expand opportunities in the private sector.

In 2023, Saudi exports to Italy reached SAR18.5 billion, driven primarily by mineral fuels and petrochemicals, while imports from Italy totaled SAR22 billion, reflecting strong demand for Italian products such as machinery, pharmaceuticals, and advanced engineering solutions.

In 2024, 63 investment licenses were granted to Italian firms in the Kingdom—an increase of 110% over the previous year—underscoring the rising Italian interest in advanced manufacturing, construction, and renewable energy.