The two-day forum, organized by the German-Arab Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK Egypt), was held on 25–26 September in Munich and Frankfurt.
The forum was attended by H.E. Ahmed Kouchouk, Minister of Finance; H.E. Waleid Gamal Eldien, Chairman of the General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone), H.E. Dr. Mohamed Abd El-Sattar Elbadri, Egypt’s Ambassador to Germany; and H.E. Amin Hassan, Egypt’s Consul General in Frankfurt
The delegation was led by Eng. Ahmed El-Sewedy, President of AHK Egypt and CEO of Elsewedy Electric. He was joined by Ms. Maren Diale-Schellschmidt, CEO of the German-Arab Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK Egypt), and Karin Elshafei, Operational Head at the Chamber. The AHK Egypt Board was also represented by a distinguished group of members: Eng. Alaa Kamal, Vice President of the Board and CEO of INP Egypt; Stefanie Volz, Treasurer of the Board and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Egypt; Amir Nader Riad, Vice Chairman of Bavaria S.A.E.; Eng. Mohamed El Sheikh, CEO of Electro-Mechanic for Energy (EMEnergy); Mostafa El Bagoury, CEO of Siemens Industrial; Hans Heinz Dilthey, Chairman of Corraya Divers, and Thomas Kufahl, Managing Director of thyssenkrupp Uhde Egypt. The business Delegation included other prominent Egyptian companies like Orascom Construction and Kandil Steel.
The sessions, organized in cooperation with the German Chambers of Industry and Commerce in Frankfurt (IHK Frankfurt) and Munich (IHK Munich), opened with welcome remarks from the respective Chamber Presidents and Maren Diale-Schellschmidt, followed by an introductory speech by Eng. El-Sewedy and greetings from H.E. Dr. Elbadri.
During the open dialogues with the German business community, both the Minister of Finance and the Chairman of the SCZone delivered presentations.
H.E. Kouchouk emphasized that the Egyptian economy is gaining momentum, with stronger private sector growth and an increasingly investment-friendly climate. He explained that last year’s financial results reflect diverse economic dynamics and the beginning of a “partnership of trust” with the private sector. “We invite you to invest in the diverse and real economic opportunities in Egypt and achieve strong returns through increased production, manufacturing, and exports,” he stated, noting Egypt’s aim to become a production and export hub for German companies. The Minister reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to strengthening joint cooperation with Germany across economic, financial, and commercial fields, highlighting the potential to elevate bilateral relations into an integrated and sustainable economic partnership.
H.E. Waleid Gamal Eldien, The Chairman of the SCZone outlined the authority’s key assets and competitive advantages, including its strategic geographic location with six seaports on the Mediterranean and Red Seas, four integrated industrial and logistics zones, and world-class infrastructure. He stressed the authority’s goal of localizing 21 sectors—industrial, logistics, and services—while leveraging Egypt’s Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), which provide access to global markets with nearly two billion consumers. The Egyptian delegation further emphasized the state’s commitment to adopting advanced German technology, renowned for its quality, efficiency, and global reputation.
Throughout the forum, the Egyptian officials held bilateral meetings with representatives of German companies across diverse sectors, addressing their questions, hearing their concerns, and exploring future cooperation. German companies expressed strong interest in investing in Egypt and learning more about opportunities in the SCZone.
On the sidelines of the forum, the Egyptian delegation held high-level meetings to strengthen bilateral cooperation. In Frankfurt, the ministers met with H.E. Kaweh Mansoori, Hessian Minister for Economic Affairs, Energy, Transport, Housing, and Rural Areas. In Munich, they met with H.E. Hubert Aiwanger, Bavarian Minister of Economic Affairs, Regional Development, and Energy.
