Industry Minister launches structured dialogue with FEI to tackle sector challenges
2026-03-03 - 17:34
Egypt’s Minister of Industry, Khaled Hashem, has held his first expanded meeting with the Board of Directors of the Federation of Egyptian Industries (FEI), chaired by Mohamed El Sewedy, alongside heads of industrial chambers, as part of efforts to deepen engagement with manufacturers and address pressing production challenges. The meeting was attended by Nahed Youssef, Chairperson of the Industrial Development Authority, and senior officials from the Ministry of Industry. Hashem said the next phase would adopt a new, structured approach based on regular coordination meetings with the federation, in addition to dedicated sessions with each industrial chamber. Communication, he added, would extend beyond formal discussions to include field visits to factories across various industrial zones to assess challenges first-hand and listen directly to manufacturers. The objective, he stressed, is to formulate swift and practical decisions that respond to industry needs and stimulate investment. The minister revealed that the ministry is currently reviewing its industrial development strategy, affirming that the FEI is a key partner in the process. Once finalised, the updated strategy will be presented to federation members for feedback to ensure it reflects manufacturers’ aspirations and evolving market requirements. Hashem emphasised that aligning roles and visions between the ministry and the federation is essential to achieving Egypt’s targeted industrial renaissance. He reiterated the ministry’s commitment to supporting local manufacturers and enhancing the competitiveness of domestic products, while intensifying coordination with the federation and industrial chambers to assess the impact of global developments and identify ways to mitigate associated risks. On financing, Hashem announced plans to introduce a sustainable funding mechanism for industrial projects through the establishment of specialised industrial investment funds. The initiative aims to strengthen the financial sector’s capacity to channel capital towards promising industrial ventures, expand production capacity, and support sustainable economic growth. He added that the forthcoming strategy incorporates the concept of “productive villages”, leveraging the comparative advantages of each governorate to create jobs locally and curb irregular and internal migration to the capital. For his part, El Sewedy expressed the federation’s readiness to cooperate in achieving national industrial development targets. He noted that the FEI, which comprises 21 industrial chambers, continues to address sector challenges, advocate for manufacturers’ interests, and promote sustainable economic and social growth. Discussions during the meeting covered a wide range of issues facing industrial chambers, including challenges related to industrial zones, the implementation of certain labour law provisions, technical education and the availability of skilled labour, export risk guarantees for African markets, barriers to adopting modern technologies, international accreditation of food testing laboratories, and the exclusion of some sectors from state-backed financing initiatives. Participants also addressed the regularisation of factories operating within residential areas and the need for greater support for handicrafts and heritage industries. The meeting concluded with an agreement to study the launch of a joint digital platform between the Ministry of Industry and the federation to facilitate data exchange, streamline communication, and enhance the speed and efficiency of industrial services.