Eng. Hassan El Khatib, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, participated in the Egypt–European Union Summit held at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels — a major platform marking a milestone in bilateral relations between Egypt and the EU, Invest-Gate reports.
The summit was attended by Dr. Badr Abdelatty, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of International Cooperation, alongside senior officials from both sides and representatives of international financial institutions. The discussions focused on enhancing investment, industrial transformation, and sustainable development as part of the deepening strategic partnership between Egypt and the European Union.
The summit crowned ongoing efforts to promote economic and industrial integration, positioning investment, innovation, and competitiveness at the heart of joint priorities. It brought together decision-makers, investors, and institutional leaders aiming to translate shared visions into concrete initiatives that reinforce Egypt’s position as a strategic hub linking Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
Eng. Hassan El Khatib described the summit as a “vital platform for strengthening economic cooperation,” noting that Egypt is witnessing an unprecedented infrastructure boom with investments exceeding $500bn over the past decade. These projects include the New Capital, New Alamein City, and Galala City, as well as the national road network, rail and metro expansions, the monorail, and upgraded airports and seaports.
El Khatib outlined the government’s four-pillar reform strategy encompassing monetary, fiscal, trade, and governance reforms. He highlighted that inflation dropped to 11.6% in Q2 2025, down from 28.5% a year earlier, reflecting the success of the inflation-targeting monetary policy that restored investor confidence. Fiscal reforms, he added, include 20 key measures to modernize and digitize the tax system, enhance fairness, and expand the tax base by 35% annually, while maintaining a sustainable spending framework and rationalizing public investment.
He emphasized that Egypt’s open trade policy aims to place the country among the top 50 global trading nations within three years and the top 20 by 2030, through reducing customs procedures by 90%, accelerating clearance times, and maximizing the benefits of international trade agreements to enhance global competitiveness.
On governance, the minister noted that Egypt is redefining the state’s role from operator to regulator, enabling the private sector to drive growth. The Sovereign Wealth Fund and the state ownership policy document serve as key instruments for transparency, efficient asset allocation, and debt reduction.
El Khatib also highlighted the government’s progress in business climate reforms and digital transformation, including the unified licensing platform offering 460 digital services, the Egypt Business Portal, and the National Trade Platform, all designed to streamline procedures and reduce bureaucracy.
He announced Egypt’s commitment to the World Bank’s B-READY framework, under which 209 reforms are being implemented — 63% of which are expected to be completed within 6-9 months. Customs clearance time, he added, has improved dramatically from 16 days in June 2024 to 5.8 days in June 2025, cutting costs by 65%, with further reductions expected.
El Khatib praised the strategic partnership with the EU, highlighting Europe as Egypt’s largest export market and a leading source of foreign direct investment. He concluded by reaffirming Egypt’s vision of building a globally competitive, open economy that attracts international investment and achieves sustainable growth, inviting global partners to leverage Egypt’s strategic location, skilled workforce, competitive costs, and world-class infrastructure.