Egypt’s Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli Saturday said that the inauguration of new projects in West Qantara Zone represents a significant step toward deepening local manufacturing and import substitution, with a view to enhancing the competitiveness of the national economy.
Madbouli made the remarks upon his arrival Saturday morning at the West Qantara Zone, which is affiliated to the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE), to witness the opening of several new development and industrial projects there.
The premier is accompanied by Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mahmoud Essmat, Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities Sherif el Sherbiny, Ismailia Governor Akram Mohamed Galal, SCZONE Chairman Walid Gamal el Dein, Turkish Ambassador to Cairo Salih Mutlu Sen, along with public figures and company executives.
West Qantara Zone has become a regional center for the textile industry and a vivid example of rapid progress in localizing industries, underscoring the success of the SCZONE in turning its development plans into a comprehensive industrial reality capable of attracting investments and reinforcing Egypt’s role as a regional hub for production and exports, Madbouli said.
For his part, the SCZONE head described West Qantara as the icon of this year’s inaugurations and a new launching point for the zone’s journey of success and achievements.
He added that within two years, the zone has transformed from a blueprint into a fully integrated industrial platform, attracting investments worth 1.055 billion dollars pumped 40 projects, with land handed over for 25 of them.
Gamal el Dein emphasized that West Qantara hosts promising projects providing a solid foundation for localizing industries and deepening local manufacturing, marking a qualitative step toward import substitution and strengthening the competitiveness of national industry.
The premier’s tour includes attending the inauguration of industrial projects such as the Chinese Hengsheng Textile Technology Factory and the Turkish Eroglu Garment Ready-Made Garments Factory, alongside key infrastructure projects, Gamal el Dein said.
The estimated cost of infrastructure works for the entire West Qantara Zone, which covers 19 million square meters, is around 14 billion Egyptian pounds, Gamal el Dein said, adding that the cost includes a potable water treatment plant, raw water intake (phases one and two), a wastewater treatment plant, sewage pumping stations, a 500 MVA power station, medium- and low-voltage power networks, a telecommunications network, a natural gas pressure reduction station and distribution networks, soil improvement, and a 20-kilometer road network.
Phase one, covering 4 million square meters, has already been completed at a cost of 4 billion pounds, with subsequent phases being implemented progressively as work advances, the head of the SCZONE added.
