The General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) hosted Egypt–Bahrain Business Forum, with the participation of Eng. Hassan El-Khatib, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade; Mr. Ahmed Kouchouk, Minister of Finance; Mr. Hossam Heiba, GAFI CEO; Mr. Walid Gamal El-Din, Chairman of the Suez Canal Economic Zone; H.E. Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif, Minister of Sustainable Development and Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) CEO; H.E. Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Kingdom of Bahrain; Mr. Sameer Nass, Chairman of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, along with representatives of the Bahrain Businessmen's Association (BBMA), Mumtalakat Holding Company—the Kingdom's sovereign wealth fund.

In his remarks, Mr. Hossam Heiba highlighted Egypt's efforts to attract greater inflows of investment, which propelled the country to rank ninth worldwide and first in Africa among the top destinations for global investment, with net inflows of USD 46.1 billion in the fiscal year 2023/2024.

Heiba stressed that the Egyptian market offers a compelling value proposition, boasting a workforce of more than 32 million people, a highly diversified economy, a prime geographical location, competitive tax rates, world-class infrastructure, and preferential access to nearly 70 countries through trade agreements, enabling Egyptian goods and services to reach some 3 billion consumers worldwide.

He added that GAFI's strategy revolves around providing investors with tailored services, incentives, and regulatory frameworks that respond to the evolving needs of businesses, all in line with the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade's strategic goal of raising exports to USD 140 billion by 2030. He called on the Bahraini business community to explore investment opportunities in Egypt—whether digitally, through the Investment Map which features around 1,200 opportunities, or through field visits to the free zones and investment zones managed by GAFI.

On his part, Mr. Sameer Nass, Chairman of the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry, emphasized that Bahraini businesses are closely following developments in Egypt's investment environment. This, he noted, has spurred growing appetite among Bahraini institutions to forge partnerships with their Egyptian counterparts—partnerships that contribute to the growth and prosperity of both nations. He pointed out Bahrain's particular interest in investment cooperation with Egypt in sectors such as healthcare, education, digital transformation, and financial services—areas where Bahrain has built up extensive expertise and enjoys strong competitive advantages.

Meanwhile, Mr. Walid Gamal El-Din, Chairman of the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone), underlined the depth and strength of bilateral investment and trade relations. He invited the Bahraini side to visit SCZone, describing it as a fully integrated hub for manufacturing, services, and logistics. He announced that since its establishment in 2015, SCZone has signed agreements for 311 projects worth USD 10.2 billion, with more than USD 6 billion worth of agreements signed in just the past fourteen months.
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