UAE, Serbia Sign Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. WAM
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. WAM
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UAE, Serbia Sign Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. WAM
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. WAM

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić have witnessed the exchange of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), paving the way for increased trade and investment flows and bilateral private sector collaboration.

Sheikh Mohamed commended the exchange of the CEPA as a key milestone in the relations between the UAE and Serbia.

“The CEPA exchange with Serbia is a notable step forward in our efforts to create a network of trade agreements that will accelerate investment, promote knowledge-sharing, and create opportunities for joint ventures in high-growth sectors,” he said.

“Serbia represents an important addition to the CEPA program and a bridge into the high-potential region of Eastern Europe. The UAE-Serbia CEPA reflects our shared ambition to establish a new era of collaboration between our nations and unlock long-term, sustainable growth for both our economies.”

The Serbian President expressed confidence that the agreement would pave the way for new opportunities in economic cooperation and diversification, fostering sustainable growth and prosperity for both nations.

Once implemented, the UAE-Serbia CEPA is expected to remove or reduce duties on product lines, lift unnecessary barriers to trade, protect intellectual property rights, support small and medium-sized companies, and facilitate mutual investment flows.

The UAE is the third-largest market for Serbian exports in the Middle East, and increased FDI has been directed toward high-priority sectors, including renewable energy, agriculture, food security, infrastructure, and logistics.



French Companies to Inject New Investments in Egyptian Market

Hossam Heiba, Chairman of the Investment Authority and Free Zones, signs a memorandum of understanding with the French Investment Promotion Agency in the presence of Hassan Al-Khatib, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade. (Egyptian Investment Authority)
Hossam Heiba, Chairman of the Investment Authority and Free Zones, signs a memorandum of understanding with the French Investment Promotion Agency in the presence of Hassan Al-Khatib, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade. (Egyptian Investment Authority)
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French Companies to Inject New Investments in Egyptian Market

Hossam Heiba, Chairman of the Investment Authority and Free Zones, signs a memorandum of understanding with the French Investment Promotion Agency in the presence of Hassan Al-Khatib, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade. (Egyptian Investment Authority)
Hossam Heiba, Chairman of the Investment Authority and Free Zones, signs a memorandum of understanding with the French Investment Promotion Agency in the presence of Hassan Al-Khatib, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade. (Egyptian Investment Authority)

Several French companies have committed to making new investments in the Egyptian market across various sectors, including transportation, food, and pharmaceuticals.

According to a statement by Egypt’s General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) on Saturday, companies such as Lesaffre (in yeast production), Alstom (transport), Sanofi (pharmaceuticals), and Decathlon (specialized retail in sportswear and equipment) have pledged to invest further in Egypt. These plans aim to leverage the significant improvements in the country’s investment infrastructure and legislative framework.

French investments in Egypt currently stand at approximately €7 billion (around $7.7 billion), distributed across 180 companies in various sectors. The companies’ commitment to expansion was made during a promotional visit to France by GAFI CEO Hossam Heiba, accompanied by Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Hassan Al-Khatib.

The visit included participation in the Egyptian-French Business Forum held in Paris and Marseille, with the attendance of French Minister of Foreign Trade Sophie Primas and more than 350 French companies.

The Egyptian officials also held meetings with John Cockerill, a leader in hydrogen production equipment, representatives of bpi France, a French investment bank and the chairman of CMA CGM, a French logistics and maritime company and a key development partner of Egypt.

Heiba noted that Egypt has successfully attracted a significant number of global and French companies, benefiting from its strategic position as an investment and export hub for Africa. He emphasized that his country has maintained its position as the top African destination for investments in 2022 and 2023, with expectations of continuing this trend in the coming years. This is further supported by the record-breaking foreign direct investment, which reached $46.1 billion in the 2023-2024 fiscal year.

Additionally, Heiba signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the French Investment Promotion Agency, which aims to sustain investment cooperation between Egypt and France, focusing on providing investor support, fostering partnerships between the two countries' business communities, and sharing data on target sectors and legislative developments. The agreement also covers the organization of investment promotion events and exploratory business tours.

The French side highlighted the substantial investments made by French companies in Egypt, particularly in telecommunications, healthcare, and cosmetics. Companies such as Valeo, Capgemini, Atos, and Orange Business Services operate in Egypt’s IT and communications sector, while Servier, AXA, AXA One Health, Sanofi, and Air Liquide have made significant contributions to the healthcare sector. L'Oréal is also a major player in the cosmetics industry.

This promotional visit is part of Egypt’s efforts aimed at expanding investment ties with Europe, following the 2024 Egypt-European Investment Conference held in Cairo in June, and the March 2023 announcement of an enhanced strategic partnership between Egypt and the European Union.