THE ongoing modernisation of the transport sector with all its components represents a solid indication of the drive now under way to energise the localisation of the industries deemed necessary for maintaining sustainable development. Last Thursday, President
Abdel Fattah El Sisi called a meeting with the prime minister and the transport minister, together with the chiefs of some private sector auto-makers to follow up on the progress of the state’s strategy for the localisation of the electric car industry, signaling the highest-level keenness on bolstering this industry. Underlying this keenness are three main considerations. First, it consolidates the sustainability of the development sought and envisaged under the Egypt’s Vision 2030, the grand instrument that defines the target and path of developmental action. And it fits also well as a national contribution to the achievement of the set of sustainable development goals that have been adopted by both the United Nations and the African Union. Secondly, it enhances the country’s efforts to achieve green transformation which aims at ensuring the sustainability of such urban and social practices that prioritise environmental conservation considerations. As a matter of fact, green transformation is now gaining growing world emphasis in light of the experience with the coronavirus pandemic which has given rise to a global trend for increased reliance on ‘green recovery’ in overcoming the adverse economic effects of the virus spread. Thirdly, it brings the country closer to reflecting the global trend for replacing fossil-fuelled vehicles by electric cars as a contribution to the global aspiration for reducing carbon emissions, scientifically considered a prime cause of climate change especially regarding Earth and atmosphere warming.
Guiding Egypt’s efforts in this direction is the national strategy for the localisation of the electric car industry. And it was within the framework of this strategy that President Sisi called, during the Thursday meeting, for complementation between the state and the private sector, thereby ensuring the integration of the manufacturing process and the ultimate of production of e-cars at affordable prices. Such an approach implies consolidating the localisation of an industry that has economic, health and environmental advantages at both levels of the state and the citizen. Of relevance to this orientation was President Sisi’s meeting with chief of the leading Spanish train manufacturer Talgo, also last week, for a consideration of the prospects of localising train manufacturing in Egypt as part of the country’s determined efforts to modernise the transport sector especially including through the developing this sector’s associated industries. Simultaneously with the drive to localise the e-car industry, Egypt is preparing to build, in co-operation with leading global companies and the local private sector, its first fast electric train service which would serve as an environment-friendly component of the national railway system. Existing efforts to localise the e-car industry constitute a significant addition to national plans for the modernisation of the whole transport sector.
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