Cairo today hosted the Egypt–Spain Business Forum, organized by Egypt’s Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade and the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), in cooperation with Spain’s State Secretariat for Trade through ICEX, the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE), and the Spanish Chamber of Commerce, Invest-Gate reports.

The event was attended by His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain and Egyptian Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly. Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Hassan El-Khatib said the forum marks a new milestone in the economic partnership between the two countries.

El-Khatib noted that bilateral trade reached USD 3.1bn in 2024, while Spanish investments in Egypt amounted to about EUR 900mn. He added that Egypt aims to double these figures in the coming years, building on strong political and strategic ties.

He highlighted Egypt’s rapid development over the past decade, including major upgrades in infrastructure, transport networks, energy, and water projects, which have positioned the country as a promising regional hub connecting Africa, the Middle East, and Europe.

The minister stressed that Egypt’s economic policies are based on transparency, sound regulations, and investor-friendly incentives. The government, he said, is working to place Egypt among the world’s top 50 countries in trade and investment competitiveness within two years, with the private sector playing a central role.

El-Khatib identified renewable energy, green hydrogen, water desalination, transport, agriculture, food industries, tourism, logistics, and the digital economy as priority areas for cooperation with Spain. He emphasized that combining Egypt’s resources with Spain’s expertise creates opportunities for sustainable partnerships.

The forum concluded with a call for business leaders to turn discussions into concrete projects that drive long-term growth and deliver mutual benefits for both nations.