Egyptian Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Hassan El-Khatib and the UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi held high-level talks aimed at boosting trade and investment ties and advancing cooperation across priority sectors, said a statement issued by Egypt’s Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade. The development comes amid the efforts from both countries to iron out the differences over a draft comprehensive economic partnership agreement.
The discussions reviewed the current state of bilateral relations, recent developments in cooperation, and a range of issues of mutual interest, with a focus on strengthening the economic and trade partnership between the two countries.
On his part, El-Khatib highlighted the depth of historical and fraternal relations between the nations, while describing the meeting as part of ongoing coordination efforts that reflect both sides’ commitment to pursuing shared interests through partnership and integration. He further noted that talks covered areas such as digital trade and trade in services, while reaffirming the state’s support for initiatives aimed at attracting investment and improving the business climate.
The Egyptian Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade further remarked that textiles, engineering, and chemicals are among the priority sectors for cooperation in the coming period, stressing the need for both sides to translate opportunities into concrete outcomes through “practical steps.”
“El-Khatib also underscored the importance of building on the technical progress already achieved in negotiations over the draft comprehensive economic partnership agreement, calling for intensified joint efforts to resolve outstanding issues and finalise a balanced framework that supports investment flows, particularly in high-value-added productive sectors, while preserving the flexibility of trade regulations to enhance competitiveness in both economies,” reported the Arab Finance.
For his part, Al Zeyoudi reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to strengthening its economic partnership with Egypt in a manner that serves the interests of both countries and reinforces their regional and international competitiveness.
While concluding, Al Zeyoudi expressed optimism about finishing technical discussions in the next phase and building on the progress made so far, noting that the move would open new avenues for trade and investment cooperation between Egypt and the UAE, apart from encouraging greater private sector participation within a transparent and integrated economic framework.