Alberto Rubio
The Ambassador of Egypt, Youssef Diaeldin Mekkawy, highlighted last Wednesday, during the reception he hosted on the occasion of his National Day, the importance that the launch of the Egypt-Spain Business Council will have for bilateral relations. “It is a platform through which ideas and proposals for cooperation on joint projects will be studied, trade missions will be exchanged and mutual investments will be promoted.
Mekkawy recalled that bilateral relations between Egypt and Spain “are based on deep roots” dating back to 1949, when the two countries established their respective embassies, but added that Pedro Sánchez’s visit to Egypt in December 2021 was “a turning point for their development” and for “deepening trade and economic ties in many fields, such as clean energy, transport and technology”.
He therefore said that promoting bilateral economic cooperation is “a priority for Egypt” and welcomed the fact that trade between the two countries has grown steadily: €2 billion in 2020; €2.7 billion in 2021; and a forecast of €4 billion this year, with total exchanges reaching €1.4 billion in the first quarter.
In the chapter of investments, Mekkawy was also pleased because “Spanish investments in Egypt reached 826 million euros at the beginning of 2020” and there are already 280 Spanish companies operating in the North African country in various fields such as transport, industry, services, construction, tourism and finance.
The Egyptian Embassy in Madrid celebrated a few days early its bank holidays on 23 July, commemorating the Free Officers’ Revolution in 1952. A date to which the ambassador added in his speech the reminder of “another decisive day”, 30 June 2013, “when Egyptians, once again, decided to defend their civil state and their moderate, tolerant and inclusive identity”.
The head of the Egyptian Mission in Spain also reviewed in his speech the progress made by his country in infrastructure, health, energy, education and tourism, among other sectors. “Egypt”, he stressed, “has become one of the largest exporters of energy in the region by increasing its electricity production to almost 50 gigawatts, without forgetting other projects such as the expansion of the Suez Canal and the construction of its economic zone; the cultivation of one and a half million acres (some 750,000 hectares); or the ‘Decent Life’ initiative, the plan for the total eradication of shantytowns”.
The reception was attended by numerous ambassadors accredited in Spain, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Spanish businessmen.
