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Egypt Signs 30-year Concession Agreement with AD Ports to Operate Safaga Port

Egypt’s minister of transport and the ambassador of the UAE witness the signing of agreements in maritime transport on Saturday in Cairo. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Egypt’s minister of transport and the ambassador of the UAE witness the signing of agreements in maritime transport on Saturday in Cairo. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Egypt Signs 30-year Concession Agreement with AD Ports to Operate Safaga Port

Egypt’s minister of transport and the ambassador of the UAE witness the signing of agreements in maritime transport on Saturday in Cairo. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Egypt’s minister of transport and the ambassador of the UAE witness the signing of agreements in maritime transport on Saturday in Cairo. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Egypt's transport ministry signed on Saturday several agreements in maritime transport with AD Ports Group to manage, operate, and maintain the port of Safaga, and to allow for expanded access to multipurpose terminals and cruise routes in Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh.

AD Ports Group signed a 30-year concession agreement worth $200 million to develop and operate Egypt's Safaga port, according to a statement released by AD Ports on Saturday.

Two additional agreements and four head terms concerning ports located in Egypt's Red Sea region and the Mediterranean Sea were also signed, the statement said.

"AD Ports Group will invest a total of up to $200 million in superstructure and equipment, buildings, and other real estate facilities and utilities’ network inside the concession area," the statement added.

Furthermore, two 15-year agreements for the development of two cement terminals in Al Arish Port and West Port Said Port were signed between AD Ports Group and the General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone requiring a combined investment of around $33 million.

AD Ports Group will construct silos with a storage capacity of up to 60,000 tons in Al Arish Port and 30,000 tons in West Port Said.

Each terminal will be able to handle 1-1.5 million tons annually.

Both terminals, which will be operational in Q4 2023, are expected to contribute to doubling Egypt's cement exports to global markets.

Egyptian Minister of Transport of Egypt Kamel al-Wazir affirmed that this contract is the beginning of a huge cooperation plan between the ministry and AD Ports Group to carry out several projects in logistics services in Egypt.

The multipurpose terminal in Safaga Port will be developed over an approximate area of 810,000 square meters and it will boast a quay wall of up to 1,000 meters.

The agreements were signed in Cairo in the presence of Lieutenant-General Kamel al-Wazir and Mariam Al Kaabi, Ambassador of the UAE to Egypt.

Capt. Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO, AD Ports Group, and Major General Osama Saleh, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Red Sea Port Authority, signed the agreement.

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FAO Aims for Key Outcomes at COP16 in Saudi Arabia

Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
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FAO Aims for Key Outcomes at COP16 in Saudi Arabia

Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)
Preparations in the Saudi capital ahead of hosting the COP16 conference on combating desertification (from the “COP16” page on the X platform)

Dr. Abdul Hakim Elwaer, Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), stated that the organization will take an active role at COP16, the UN conference on combating desertification, scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia in early December.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, he expressed confidence that the conference—the first of its kind in the Middle East—would produce significant outcomes.

Elwaer’s comments came during a roundtable organized by FAO’s regional office in Cairo, attended by a select group of media representatives. The session focused on FAO’s participation in the upcoming conference and the importance of the Rio Trio —the integrated framework of the three major UN conventions addressing climate change, biodiversity conservation, and desertification.

Fida Haddad, FAO’s Program Officer for Land Rehabilitation and Climate Change, highlighted the interconnectedness of the three conventions and noted that COP16 would place a strong emphasis on land and water rehabilitation and their sustainable management.

Haddad pointed out that approximately 90% of the Middle East is affected by arid conditions. Despite this, local communities and Arab governments have made notable progress in addressing desertification and drought. She also announced that, for the first time, FAO has successfully placed food systems on the COP16 agenda, enabling discussions on how land rehabilitation can enhance food supply chains and systems.

Elwaer underscored FAO’s central role in achieving the second Sustainable Development Goal (SDG): eradicating hunger. He emphasized that FAO actively engages in the UN conventions on climate change, biodiversity, and desertification, which collectively contribute to this mission.

FAO’s focus, according to Elwaer, is on transforming food and agricultural systems to become more inclusive, efficient, and sustainable, aiming for better production, nutrition, and livelihoods. He highlighted the organization’s success in integrating these priorities into the agendas of the three conventions and collaborating with host countries on joint initiatives.

He further noted that Saudi Arabia’s hosting of COP16 is particularly significant for the region, which faces pressing challenges such as water scarcity, desertification, and food insecurity. The conference presents an opportunity for Middle Eastern nations to highlight these issues, explore solutions, and ensure their inclusion in global environmental discussions, not only at this event but in future COP sessions, he underlined.

Elwaer emphasized the growing global attention on desertification, as it is now impacting regions previously unaffected, such as southern Europe and parts of Latin America. These areas are witnessing alarming declines in arable land and forests, prompting them to seek lessons from the Arab world, which has developed resilience strategies to combat desertification over centuries.

FAO will have a strong presence at COP16, with two dedicated pavilions—one in the Blue Zone for official delegations and another in the Green Zone to engage civil society and conference participants, he said.

He added that in collaboration with Saudi Arabia and the UN, FAO will lead coordination on Food Day and Governance Day, scheduled for December 5 and 6, respectively. The organization will also participate in other specialized sessions throughout the conference.