The forum was attended by Yasser Abbas, GAFI’s Deputy CEO, and Harry Theoharis, Greece’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, alongside representatives from key Egyptian government entities and major companies from both sides.
Yasser Abbas emphasized that the forum is a practical step
to strengthen the economic partnership and expand cooperation in trade,
investment, industry, tourism, and technology, focusing on boosting the private
sector's role.
He highlighted the qualitative development in Egyptian-Greek
cooperation, noting the shared focus on African markets. Abbas stressed that
Egypt serves as a gateway for exports to the African continent and is a member
of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), offering Greek companies
access to a vast consumer base.
Abbas noted the strong economic ties, with bilateral trade
reaching approximately $2 billion and over 200 Greek companies operating in
various sectors in Egypt. He also underscored the significance of the GREGY
electrical interconnection project, a major regional initiative that will serve
as a channel for transferring clean energy from Egypt to Europe via Greece.
Furthermore, he pointed to Egypt's vast infrastructure
development, citing over $550 billion in government investments in recent years,
which has created a better environment for industrial expansion and increased
export capacity.
Deputy Foreign Minister Harry Theoharis expressed Greece's
appreciation for the partnership, stating that the forum reflects the growing
relationship. He addressed opportunities for strengthening maritime cooperation,
the importance of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between ports, the trilateral
cooperation between Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus, and the pivotal role of the Suez
Canal in global trade.
The participants, including Commercial Plenipotentiary Dr.
Abdelaziz El-Sherif, Head of the Egyptian Commercial Service, agreed on the
noticeable progress in trade relations (with bilateral trade volume also cited
as €2 billion) and the strategic importance of the electricity linkage project
in paving the way for new investment cooperation.
The forum concluded with an agreement to continue dialogue and hold regular meetings to support investors and enhance shared opportunities, thereby solidifying the economic partnership between the two countries.