Minister of Industry Khaled Hashem called for stronger industrial co-operation among African countries, highlighting opportunities in pharmaceuticals and agro-industry to boost regional trade, investment and manufacturing.
Hashem made these remarks on Tuesday at a forum organised by the International Co-operation Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt in co-operation with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).
He said global economic shifts, driven by geopolitical developments, technological advances and changes in supply chains, presented both challenges and opportunities for Africa.
Citing Afreximbank’s 2026 African Trade Report, Hashem said Africa’s GDP grew by 4.5 per cent in 2025, while total merchandise trade reached around $1.5 trillion. Intra-African trade stood at about $214 billion, up 5.5 per cent year on year, with Egypt accounting for about $9.3 billion.
He said expanding trade requires stronger productive capacity, competitive industries, efficient logistics and reliable financing.
African countries should move beyond exporting raw materials and importing finished goods towards developing integrated regional value chains that retain more economic value within the continent, he added.
Hashem said the Ministry of Industry has updated its strategy to increase industrial exports, attract investment, deepen local manufacturing and integrate Egyptian industry into regional and global supply chains. The strategy prioritises food processing and pharmaceuticals, alongside investment in technology, skills and small and medium-sized enterprises.
He described agro-industry and pharmaceuticals as promising sectors for Egyptian-African co-operation. Egypt aims to support agro-industrial clusters, expand food processing and attract investment in cold-chain infrastructure and logistics to reduce post-harvest losses and increase value addition.
In pharmaceuticals, the ministry is working to deepen local production, particularly of active pharmaceutical ingredients, oncology medicines, insulin and complex biologic products, he said.
Hashem added that combining Egypt’s industrial capabilities with those of other African countries could strengthen regional pharmaceutical supply chains, improve access to medicines and reduce reliance on imports.
He also said the ministry is developing an African Industrial Integration Initiative to promote joint investment, deepen manufacturing and boost intra-African trade.
Hashem reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to working with Afreximbank, the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area and private-sector partners to advance industrial co-operation and mutually beneficial investment.
