Egypt’s Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Hassan El Khatib reaffirmed that the Egyptian government is implementing a comprehensive economic program aimed at building a more resilient, diversified, and competitive economy.
The program, he said, is based on an effective partnership with the private sector and seeks to stimulate sustainable growth through deep structural reforms, supported by stable and transparent fiscal and monetary policies that foster a favorable business environment and long-term investor confidence.
The minister made the remarks during his current visit to the United States.
During the visit, he met with Jan Friedrich, Managing Director and Head of Sovereign Ratings for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa at Fitch Ratings, and Shelly Shetty, Managing Director and Head of Sovereign Ratings for Asia and the Americas, to discuss developments in the Egyptian economy and the government’s efforts to strengthen creditworthiness and improve the country’s sovereign rating.
Khatib highlighted that recent reforms to the exchange rate policy introduced genuine market-driven flexibility, accompanied by increased inflows of foreign direct investment.
These measures, he said, have helped boost foreign reserves, restore confidence among international institutions, and improve the current account balance, supported by higher non-oil exports, increased Suez Canal revenues, and a rebound in tourism.
He noted that Egypt continues to advance its business environment by accelerating the digital transformation of the investment framework and activating a unified licensing platform.
He added that the government is working to reduce the time and cost of establishing companies while introducing more flexible and attractive incentive policies in high–value-added sectors such as industry, tourism, communications, and technology.
The minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to maintaining open dialogue with international credit rating agencies, praising Fitch Ratings for its professional and objective assessment of Egypt’s economic performance.
He underscored the government’s determination to press ahead with structural reforms that enhance competitiveness, strengthen resilience to external shocks, and improve the country’s credit profile on a sustainable basis.
Khatib also reviewed new economic policy directions aimed at unifying Egypt’s economic vision and ensuring market stability.
He said the government is improving the management of state-owned assets through a central governance unit working in coordination with the Sovereign Fund of Egypt (TSFE) to ensure optimal asset utilization and increase public revenues through higher investment returns.
On foreign direct investment, Khatib said that although FDI inflows have been steadily increasing in recent years, they remain below potential.
He stressed that the government is working to double these inflows through a new national investment strategy built on in-depth sectoral analysis, addressing structural obstacles, and creating a more enabling environment for large-scale investments.
He explained that Egypt’s monetary policy now prioritizes inflation targeting as a key indicator for investors rather than the exchange rate alone.
While macroeconomic indicators have begun to show improvement, he stressed the importance of maintaining consistency, transparency, and policy continuity to sustain investor confidence and long-term stability.
The minister further noted that fiscal policy and digital transformation are central to sustaining economic reforms.
He said Egypt has adopted a more open and flexible trade policy focused on boosting exports and enhancing competitiveness rather than merely restricting imports.
This shift, he added, has significantly reduced customs clearance times, with ongoing efforts to cut both time and cost by up to 90%, enabling Egypt to integrate more effectively into global value chains.
Khatib added that the government has formulated a comprehensive FDI strategy and is conducting detailed sectoral reviews.
He cited the tourism sector as an example, noting that efforts are focused on infrastructure development, promotion, and facilitating entry procedures to create a more attractive and integrated investment ecosystem.
For their part, Fitch Ratings officials Friedrich and Shetty praised the Egyptian government’s firm commitment to maintaining macroeconomic stability and fiscal discipline.
They affirmed that continued implementation of fiscal and monetary reforms would further strengthen the resilience of the Egyptian economy and enhance its ability to weather global challenges with confidence and sustainability.
They also commended the government’s efforts to enhance transparency and improve the investment climate.
They described the recent steps on monetary policy and exchange rate flexibility as positive signals that strengthen investor and institutional confidence in Egypt’s economic outlook.
