Sandbox
Egypt’s Minister of Industry Khaled Hashem recently held talks with Ireland’s Ambassador to Egypt, Aidan O’Hara, and representatives of Enterprise Ireland to discuss opportunities for expanding industrial cooperation between the two countries across a range of strategic sectors.
The meeting was attended by Mohamed Zada, Assistant Minister for Strategic Industries, Ahmed Maghawry, Assistant Minister for International Cooperation, and senior officials from the Ministry of Industry.
Key Sectors of Mutual Interest
Discussions focused on potential collaboration in several vital areas, including:
- Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices
- Renewable Energy
- Research and Development
- Industrial Waste Management and Recycling
- Telecommunications and Financial Technology
The visit by the Enterprise Ireland delegation aims to explore trade and investment opportunities in Egypt and strengthen partnerships between the business communities of both countries. Hashem highlighted the longstanding relations between Egypt and Ireland, emphasizing Egypt’s commitment to leveraging Irish expertise in industrial localization, technology transfer, and knowledge exchange to support the development of the country’s manufacturing sector.
Renewable Energy and Manufacturing
The minister noted that the use of renewable energy in industry is currently a top priority for the ministry as part of efforts to enhance industrial competitiveness, reduce production costs, and lessen dependence on conventional energy sources.
He pointed to the ongoing implementation of the Solar Industry Initiative, which aims to install solar power systems on the rooftops of around 7,000 factories across Egypt. This project will reach a total capacity of up to 1,000 megawatts through various financing and implementation models. According to Hashem, the initiative is expected to significantly reduce energy costs for manufacturers, lower natural gas consumption, and boost the competitiveness of Egyptian products in both local and international markets.
Leveraging Irish Expertise in Tech and Education
The minister stressed the importance of benefiting from Ireland’s experience and Enterprise Ireland’s activities in technical education and vocational training. The ministry is currently establishing a Centre of Excellence for Vocational Training, which will offer world-class programmes aimed at improving the quality of technical education graduates and enhancing their competitiveness in global labor markets.
In addition, Hashem underscored Egypt’s keen interest in learning from Ireland’s expertise in applying artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing to pharmaceutical research and development, given the strategic importance of the pharmaceutical industry to the Egyptian economy.
For his part, Ambassador O’Hara reaffirmed Ireland’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with Egypt, describing the country as one of Ireland’s most important partners in the region. He encouraged Irish companies to expand their presence and increase investments in Egypt, taking advantage of the country’s attractive incentives and investment opportunities. Meanwhile, the Enterprise Ireland delegation announced it would prepare a comprehensive report on its meetings, to be shared with Irish companies interested in exploring investment and business opportunities in the Egyptian market.
