Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Egypt and Albania have held the inaugural session of their Joint Committee for Economic, Scientific, and Technical Co-operation in more than three decades, marking a renewed push to strengthen bilateral ties and expand economic collaboration between the two countries.
Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Co-operation, Rania Al-Mashaat, arrived in the Albanian capital, Tirana, to chair the meeting, the first of its kind since 1993. Speaking at the opening, Al-Mashaat said the Joint Committee aims to explore new avenues of co-operation and reinforce relations, with a particular focus on boosting trade exchange, deepening economic co-operation, and encouraging joint investment.
She noted that the committee’s work would extend beyond government-to-government engagement, with a joint business forum planned alongside the session. The forum is intended to bring together private-sector representatives from both countries to discuss investment opportunities in areas of mutual interest and identify practical paths for partnership.
In the two days leading up to the meeting, Al-Mashaat presided over preparatory expert-level discussions involving a wide range of Egyptian ministries and state institutions. These included representatives from the ministries of investment and foreign trade, electricity and renewable energy, higher education and scientific research, agriculture, civil aviation, labour, supply, and the public business sector.
The preparatory meetings also featured participation from the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), the Suez Canal Economic Zone Authority, and the Arab Organisation for Industrialisation, as well as major Egyptian companies active in infrastructure, real estate development, tourism, and other key sectors. Albanian ministries and institutions took part in the discussions, reflecting broad-based interest on both sides in revitalising co-operation.
The Ministry of Planning said the meeting aligns with Egypt’s broader strategy to strengthen economic relations with bilateral and multilateral development partners. The ministry currently oversees 54 joint committees with other countries, including 30 with European nations, which it described as central mechanisms for advancing economic diplomacy and expanding international partnerships.
Officials from both countries said the revival of the Egyptian–Albanian Joint Committee signals a new phase in relations, aimed at translating political goodwill into concrete economic and investment outcomes.
