The Presidency
Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan participated in the closing session of the Egyptian-Turkish Business Forum, held in Cairo as part of the Turkish president’s visit to Egypt.
The Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, said the forum saw broad participation from representatives of the Egyptian and Turkish governments, along with leading business figures from both countries. More than 460 heads and representatives of Turkish companies operating in Egypt or interested in exploring new investment opportunities participated, in addition to approximately 270 representatives from the Egyptian private sector. The forum sessions addressed ways to enhance trade exchange between the two countries and reviewed the opportunities available for Turkish investments in the Egyptian market.
President El-Sisi delivered the closing remarks at the conclusion of the forum.
Speech by President El-Sisi at Closing Session of Egyptian-Turkish Business Forum
Your Excellency President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan,
President of the Republic of Türkiye,
Distinguished representatives of the Egyptian and Turkish business communities,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I would like to begin by welcoming Egypt’s esteemed guest, His Excellency President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and his accompanying delegation, and express my deep appreciation to the business community in both countries, which has succeeded in recent years in adding momentum to economic and trade cooperation, reflecting the strong ties and common interests between Egypt and Türkiye.
I would also like to sincerely thank everyone who contributed to organizing this distinguished forum and sessions, which extended throughout the day. This forum is being held at a crucial time, underscoring the strength of the economic partnership between our two countries.
We are not gathered merely to strengthen existing partnerships, but to launch an ambitious new chapter, with the core objective of maximizing the mutual benefits for our peoples, in line with the changing times and the demands of a promising future.
The economic relations between Egypt and Türkiye are built on solid and practical foundations. The significant economic integration between our two countries, coupled with geographical and cultural proximity, and the strong political and business will, have contributed to unprecedented levels of trade and investment cooperation. Trade has reached approximately $9 billion, and we look forward to increasing it to $15 billion, making Egypt Türkiye’s top trading partner in Africa, while Türkiye is a major destination for Egyptian exports. Turkish investments in Egypt have exceeded $4 billion, an achievement that would not have been possible without the combined efforts of the governments and the business community. You are partners in this success.
Building on this positive trajectory, and as we mark the centennial of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries, my consultations today with His Excellency President Erdoğan confirmed a broad consensus that the potential for cooperation remains largely untapped. We agreed to work together to increase trade and attract more Turkish investment, achieving mutual benefit through Turkish investors’ participation in Egypt’s industrial development in priority sectors. This participation will leverage the structural reforms introduced to the Egyptian investment environment, the numerous incentives and comparative advantages associated with Egypt’s strategic location and market access through free trade agreements with many countries and regional and international blocs, as well as the availability of a skilled workforce.
I would like to particularly commend the successful experience of Turkish clothing and textile investors in Egypt, as their contribution represents an influential part of the exports of this sector from Egypt. I also welcome expanding Turkish investments in other sectors such as chemical and health industries, which represent real added value, provide job opportunities, and transfer industrial and technological expertise.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Over the past two years, Egypt has successfully continued implementing its economic reform program in cooperation with the International Monetary Fund, completing six reviews to date. The implemented policies have resulted in a marked improvement in fiscal and monetary indicators. The Egyptian economy recorded a growth rate of 5.3% during the first quarter of the 2025-2026 fiscal year, and private sector investments accounted for approximately 66% of total investments. This reflects the priority the Egyptian government places on supporting the private sector as the main engine of development. This approach has been commended by international credit rating agencies, which have raised Egypt’s credit rating.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The current global developments necessitate deepening the concept of localizing supply chains and getting closer to markets, which opens the door for the Egyptian-Turkish partnership to build joint production and export platforms, benefiting from the logistical advantages and integration between the expertise of Turkish industry and the market access capabilities that Egypt enjoys.
Hence the importance of the Egyptian state’s efforts in developing its infrastructure, having injected investments exceeding $550 billion since 2014. This included modernizing road networks, developing the energy and water sectors, and establishing smart cities. This infrastructure spending was not merely aimed at addressing current problems, but rather was based on a future vision to lay a solid foundation for building a modern, diversified, and investment-attractive economy.
The state has also accorded special attention to the logistics sector and embarked on implementing a national vision to transform Egypt into a global logistics hub through the development of commercial ports, most notably the Alexandria Port, Sokhna Port, which is the largest hub port on the Red Sea, in addition to the East Port Said Port, which has been ranked among the most efficient ports in the world.
Consequently, I call upon the business community in both countries to focus during the next phase on several tracks:
First: Promoting joint industrial investments in priority sectors and high technological value such as the automotive and components industry, the chemical, metals and household appliances industry.
Second: Building logistical partnerships, shipping lines and regional distribution centers linked to Egyptian ports and serving surrounding markets.
Third: Enhancing cooperation in the areas of green transformation, energy efficiency and clean manufacturing in line with global market trends.
Fourth: Activating mechanisms for direct communication between companies through periodic meetings and sectoral working groups to ensure that cooperation opportunities are transformed into feasible contracts and projects.
In conclusion, I once again welcome His Excellency President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the distinguished guests. I am confident that the outcomes of this forum will constitute a practical step towards deepening cooperation between the private sectors of the two countries, building joint projects that achieve added value, open new markets, and support the development and prosperity goals of the Egyptian and Turkish peoples.
May the peace, mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you.
I welcome His Excellency, Turkish President Erdoğan, his accompanying delegation and the Egyptian and Turkish business community.
