The Uzbek delegation included Azizbek Yusupov, Head of Exports and Investment for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and Abdel Rahman Karim Berdiyev, Manager of Partnerships and Investment for MENA. The meeting was attended by several senior GAFI officials.
The discussion focused on mutual cooperation in supporting
technology start-ups, encouraging reciprocal investments, and exploring
opportunities for Egyptian companies to access new markets in Central Asian
countries, leveraging the advanced technological capabilities of both parties.
The two sides discussed building partnerships between
Egyptian and Uzbek companies, exchanging expertise in entrepreneurship and
fostering an innovation environment. They also reviewed opportunities to
attract global companies to operate in both countries through the business
facilitation platforms and services offered by each entity.
Hossam Heiba, CEO of GAFI, welcomed the Uzbek delegation,
expressing his keenness to enhance cooperation between Egypt and Uzbekistan. He
stressed that the visit is a crucial step in opening new horizons for mutual
investments and strengthening bilateral economic and trade relations,
particularly in the promising technological and digital sectors.
Heiba affirmed GAFI's commitment to boosting international
cooperation in promising technological sectors to support the digital economy,
attract new investments, and enable Egyptian companies to expand into regional
and international markets. He noted that Egypt's investment system relies on
diverse regimes, such as Free Zones, Investment Zones, and Technology Zones,
which support the private sector and stimulate the flow of local and foreign
investments.
Heiba stressed the importance of continued communication
between the two sides to follow up on the discussions, build upon them, and
explore ways to enhance investment cooperation and support efforts to attract
investments in priority sectors for both nations.
For his part, Yusupov expressed his appreciation for GAFI's
hospitality, confirming that the meeting reflects a genuine desire to
strengthen cooperation. He praised the noticeable development in Egypt's
business environment, calling it a strong driver for expanding collaboration.
Yusupov announced that Egypt would be the first African
country from which IT Park Uzbekistan would launch its support efforts for
technology companies seeking expansion and investment across the continent.
The Uzbek delegation highlighted the key investment incentives
offered by the Uzbek government to foreign companies, particularly those
operating in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector. They
noted that IT Park Uzbekistan provides an integrated system of benefits,
including tax exemptions, streamlined company formation, and fast, flexible
operating licenses. The delegation confirmed IT Park's readiness to provide
full support to Egyptian companies looking to invest or expand within the Uzbek
market.
IT Park Uzbekistan is a leading technology complex and official incubator under the Ministry of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan. It focuses on supporting IT companies, developing digital industries, boosting export expansion, and attracting foreign investment in the technology sector.