Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Alaa Farouk and Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Hani Sweilem met on Thursday with a Chinese delegation representing six companies to discuss avenues for co-operation, investment and private sector partnerships in water management, agricultural development and related sectors.
The delegation included representatives from Jiangsu Sumilin Intelligent Technology Co Ltd, Beijing Hexi International Consulting Co Ltd, Zhongcai Supply Chain Co Ltd, Chao Fenghua Group, Jiangsu Tongyuan Machinery Co Ltd and B&H (Suzhou) Medical Technology Co Ltd.
Head of the Agricultural Research Centre Dr Adel Abdel-Azim attended the meeting.
Welcoming the delegation, the two ministers highlighted the solid ties between the two nations and the importance which the Egyptian leadership attaches to expanding co-operation with China in development and investment fields that support sustainable development goals.
Agriculture Minister, Alaa Farouk, reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to supporting Chinese companies seeking investment opportunities in the country, particularly in agricultural production, supply chains, agro-industries and exports.
He also highlighted the state’s efforts to improve the investment climate and facilitate private sector participation, stressing the ministry’s readiness to provide support for joint ventures and overcome potential obstacles.
The minister underlined the prime importance of transferring advanced agricultural technologies and localising the manufacture of production inputs and modern agricultural machinery in Egypt to boost productivity, reduce costs and expand agricultural exports.
He emphasised the value of integrating smart technologies into land reclamation and irrigation projects to improve water efficiency and support food security objectives.
For his part, Minister Sweilem stressed the ministry’s openness to co-operation with serious Chinese companies in water management and resource optimisation projects.
Partnerships with the private sector play a major role in financing and implementing projects through the use of advanced technologies and innovative solutions, he said.
For their part, the Chinese delegation appreciated Egypt’s interest in further boosting co-operation and confirmed its desire to explore investment opportunities and partnerships in agriculture, manufacturing, smart technologies and development projects in the Egyptian market.
