The session included Omar Mohanna, ECES Chairman, Dr. Thomas Volk, Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and Dr. Abla Abdel Latif, ECES Director of Research.
Minister Al-Wazir conveyed greetings from President Abdel
Fattah El-Sisi, emphasizing that the forum reflects Egypt's commitment to
shaping a more stable and equitable future globally. He noted the forum's
significance as a platform for discussing urgent contemporary issues,
particularly how to navigate a world changing at an unprecedented pace.
Al-Wazir highlighted that the current forum deeply discussed
the future of supply chains, global trade, economic corridors between East and
West, and Egypt's pivotal role in this shifting international system. He
stressed that these topics are central to a complex global landscape where crises
interweave political, economic, and technological files.
He asserted that holding the forum in Cairo underscores
Egypt's belief in dialogue and that global challenges are best addressed
through joint thinking and shared expertise.
Minister Al-Wazir referenced the recent opening of the Grand
Egyptian Museum (GEM) as a powerful symbol: a message that nations connect
their deep past with their modern future.
Inspired by this confidence, the Egyptian state has launched
a comprehensive project to reshape its economic and productive structure,
preceded by infrastructure development. The clear strategic goal is to
transform Egypt into a regional and international industrial and logistics hub
and to build a robust productive base for local needs and global export.
National industrial strategy goals by 2030: Increase industry's
GDP contribution from 14% to 20%, increase industrial sector jobs from 3.5
million to 7 million, and expand green industries to account for 5% of GDP.
An urgent plan was developed focusing on deepening local
manufacturing, restarting stalled factories, improving product quality, and
training labor for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The state identified 28 promising and targeted industries to
drive growth, including: engineering, Pharmaceutical, Petrochemicals, and
Electronics, in addition to electric Vehicles, Textiles, and Food industries.
These opportunities were selected based on the availability
of energy, raw materials, production technology, local market demand, and
utilizing Egypt's strategic geographic location for product distribution.
Engineer Al-Wazir noted the simultaneous development of the transport
and infrastructure system as the lifeline for industrial growth.
In under 10 years, projects exceeding EGP 2 trillion were
completed, including: developing over 17,000 km of roads and building 35 new
Nile axes, modernizing the railway system and extending modern electric
transport networks (High-Speed Rail, Monorail), and establishing integrated
logistics corridors linking production areas to seaports, bolstering Egypt’s
role as a regional trade hub.
The Minister concluded by stressing that development is a shared global cause. Egypt calls for a more just and balanced global economic system based on technology transfer, development financing, and equal partnership. Egypt actively supports continental integration through the AfCFTA, leveraging its position as a major gateway linking Africa's north, south, east, and west to global markets of over 1.3 billion people.