The Chief Executive Officer of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI CEO), Mr. Hossam Heiba, participated in Connecting Markets for the Future conference organized by Attijariwafa Bank, with the objective of formulating strategies for investment and trade integration across African countries.

In his remarks, Heiba stated that the Egyptian government is currently developing sustainable strategies to facilitate investment flows and trade across the continent and to establish integrated partnerships among key African stakeholders, including the Kingdom of Morocco. The goal is to bolster intra-African investment and trade, he added.

He also highlighted the government's ongoing efforts to improve the investment climate, including the imminent launch of the first version of the Unified Electronic Licensing Platform. This platform will connect all licensing authorities, streamline approval processes, and serve as a single point of contact for investors seeking permits—thereby simplifying and accelerating the licensing process.

The conference was attended by H.E. Dr. Hala El-Said, Economic Development Advisor to the President of Egypt; Mr. Mouawia Essekelli, the Managing Director of Attijariwafa Bank Egypt; Mr. Ismail Douiri, Co-CEO of Attijariwafa Bank; Eng. Hazem Enan, Vice Chairman of the Industrial Development Authority (IDA); Eng. Hani Berzi, Chairman of Edita Food Industries; Mr. Moustapha Cissé, Deputy CEO of the National Agency for the Promotion of Investments and Major Works (APIX); and Mr. Amido Abounao, Deputy Director General of the Cameroon Investment Promotion Agency (CIPA).

During the event, Mr. Abounao outlined the key investment advantages of Cameroon, noting its membership in several regional economic blocs that facilitate trade and investment with neighboring countries—such as ECOWAS and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). He emphasized Cameroon's strategic role in West African trade, given its shared borders with several landlocked nations including Chad and the Central African Republic.

He also commended Attijariwafa Bank's initiative to establish the “Africa Development Club" in Egypt, Cameroon, and other African countries. He noted that such platforms foster dialogue, exchange of experiences, and investment opportunities—ultimately facilitating the movement of capital and trade across the continent.

On his part, Mr. Cissé invited Egyptian businesses to explore investment opportunities in Senegal, particularly in sectors such as food processing and preservation, natural gas production and distribution, digital transformation, tourism, and pharmaceuticals. These sectors are in urgent need of capital inflows, while Egypt possesses significant expertise in managing and developing them, he added.

He also affirmed the political leadership's keen interest in attracting Egyptian investments and exports to Senegal, in recognition of Egypt being the first country to acknowledge Senegal's independence. Cissé revealed that APIX plans to organize an Egypt–Senegal Investment Forum in Dakar in coordination with GAFI, with the aim of identifying priority sectors for joint ventures.

On the other hand, Eng. Berzi praised the role of export councils and international trade exhibitions affiliated with the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade (MIFT) in supporting Egyptian businesses aiming to expand into African markets.

 He noted that the African countries currently account for 15% of Egypt's exports—a figure that could grow in the coming years through improved understanding of consumer preferences, expanded trade finance mechanisms, and better logistics and infrastructure connectivity. Berzi emphasized the need for stronger bilateral and multilateral partnerships with local actors in target countries to overcome bureaucratic hurdles and regulatory conditions, and to improve supply chains efficiency across African markets.