‘National industry locomotive of growth’

Local Development Minister Mahmoud Shaarawi underlined on Sunday the importance of rallying all state efforts to encourage national products in all domains and boost the private sector.

The minister made the remarks during his participation in the first edition of Senaat Baladna (Our Country’s Industry) exhibition under the sponsorship of Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouli.

The event is held at Egypt International Exhibition Centre in New Cairo.

The National Press Authority (NPA) is organising the exhibition in co-operation with three state-owned press institutions: Al-Ahram, Akhbar Al-Youm and Dar Al-Tahrir for Printing and Publishing.

The minister said the exhibition comes at an important time in light of the current global crisis and the State’s plans to localise industry to boost competitiveness of Egyptian products.

The event will be a chance to shed light on accomplishments made by the national industry over the past eight years, the minister said.

He lauded the keenness of NPA and state-owned press institutions on organising the event given their important role in serving the Egyptian society.

The exhibition is also a real chance to explore available investment opportunities and clinch partnerships to stop reliance on imported production materials, Shaarawi added.

Speaking at the same event, Minister of Youth and Sports Ashraf Sobhy said that industry is an important sector to which the political leadership in Egypt gives priority because it is the locomotive of growth.

Sobhy touched upon a government strategy to enhance local products and hone their competitiveness on the markets.

He cited efforts to ease obstacles facing the private sector and youth employment.

The three-day event is, indeed, a good chance to introduce high-quality Egyptian products and promote achievements of the new republic where advanced industrialisation is concerned, the minister of sports said.

Sobhy inspected the pavilion of the Sports Ministry, which included products of the Egyptian Company for the manufacture of sports supplies and equipment Captex, a leading manufacturer of artificial turf.

Minister of Finance Mohamed Maeet said the political leadership seeks to boost local industries to improve its competitive edge in the global market.

The minister’s remarks were made on the sidelines of the exhibition.

The state’s strategy mainly focuses on enhancing industry, increasing production and providing jobs in order to strengthen the national currency, Maeet said.

He, meanwhile, hailed the exhibition, saying that this fair reflects the industrial advancement and copes with President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s directives to develop industry and increase the industrial-related activities.

Minister of Public Business Sector Hisham Tawfik said that an “Our Country’s Industry” exhibition reflects Egypt’s keenness on supporting the national industry and enhancing local manufacturing.

This constitutes a major pillar of stability and development, Tawfik said.

The fair opened yesterday and lasts until tomorrow.

Tawfik inspected the pavilions of the exhibition, in which industrial and production companies affiliated with his ministry are taking part.

Addressing the event, the head of the NPA Abdel Sadek el-Shorbagy said the exhibition is an integrated platform for reviewing the industrial and production achievements of the last eight years, and the unprecedented boom achieved in various sectors.

During the last eight years since President Sisi came to office, Egypt has witnessed real achievements on the ground.

Had it not been for those achievements, the idea of an exhibition would not have been realised.

El-Shorbagy also praised President Sisi, who launched a comprehensive reform programme that enabled Egypt to deal effectively and successfully with successive global crises and challenges.

Senior state officials and major institutions, sectors and companies are represented at the event, which confirms the importance of the role played by the National Press Authority and the successful work of national press institutions, which reflects their enlightening roles and national tasks.

El-Shorbagy also thanked the workteams and committees responsible for organising the exhibition, which includes efficient cadres at the highest level from the authority, Al-Ahram, Akhbar Al-Youm and Al-Gomhouria.

El-Shorbagy stressed that the exhibition is a message to confirm the concerted efforts of the NPA and the national press institutions aiming for one goal, asserting its growing national role in supporting the state, strengthening its institutions, and enhancing its efforts in reform and comprehensive development.

For his part, Board Chairman of Al-Ahram Abdel Mohsen Salama, said that the exhibition is a national message through which an honourable and bright image of the Egyptian industrial potential is presented as one of the fruits of eight years of work.