Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation Rania al Mashat Thursday attended the Egyptian-Polish Business Forum as part of the first session of the new Egyptian-Polish Joint Committee.
Forty investors from both countries, along with representatives from the Egyptian-Polish Businessmen Association, the General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone, and other representatives from both governments and the private sector took part in the forum, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of International Co-operation on Thursday.
Companies participating in the forum represented a wide range of sectors, including food, poultry, IT and telecommunications, paper manufacturing, renewable energy, industrial development, engineering industries and the medical field.
During the forum, Mashat witnessed the signing of a cooperation agreement between the Polish Chamber of Commerce and the Egyptian-Polish Business Association.
The agreement aims to enhance commercial and economic cooperation between members, expand the scope of trade relations, encourage and facilitate the signing of commercial and economic agreements between companies from both countries, and provide the necessary data for investors wishing to invest in either country, including legal regulations and exemptions to support economic activities.
Mashat, while addressing the forum, emphasized the deep historical relations between Egypt and Poland, dating back to 1927, and highlighted the long-standing cooperation between the two countries, which reflects the strength of the ties between the two peoples across various fields. She noted that these relations have witnessed significant growth over the years, particularly in trade, investment, education, and culture.
The Minister also stressed that the Egyptian government is looking to enhance cooperation with Poland in all fields, particularly in economic and trade relations and knowledge exchange.
She added that efforts are being made to increase trade volume and encourage joint investments in competitive sectors in both countries, noting the significant progress in economic cooperation in key sectors such as trade, investment, energy, agriculture, tourism, and information and communications technology.
Mashat emphasized that the current level of trade and private sector investments does not meet the aspirations of both countries. Therefore, the business forum serves as an essential mechanism for enhancing partnerships between investors and businessmen and for exploring available investment opportunities.
She highlighted the Egyptian government’s new strategy, which focuses on investment, empowering the private sector, and building a competitive economy capable of attracting investments.
The government is also focusing on governance and improving the efficiency of investment spending, as part of efforts to make space for the private sector.
The Minister underscored the importance of this forum for businessmen and company representatives from both Egypt and Poland to learn about investment opportunities and the advantages of investing in Egypt, aimed at attracting more Polish investments to the country.
She noted the participation of companies from both Egypt and Poland in the fields of food, poultry, renewable energy, telecommunications, IT, paper trading, and real estate.
Mashat also highlighted several initiatives that demonstrate the Egyptian government’s commitment to sustainable development, including the “NWFE” program, which focuses on water, food, and energy. This program, launched by the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development in 2022, falls under the National Climate Change Strategy and involves participation from the private sector and public-private partnerships to attract green investments for climate-related projects.
