Egypt's President El-Sisi Calls for Localizing Auto Industry in High-Level Meeting

Cairo witnessed a high-level meeting today between President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Egyptian Minister of Industry Khalid Hashim, with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly in attendance, to review developments in Egypt's industrial sector, particularly the automotive industry. The meeting focused on following up on the implementation status of the National Industrial Strategy 2026–2030, which places special emphasis on developing this vital sector.

Automotive Industry Tops 7 Priority Sectors

The Egyptian Ministry of Industry is currently focusing on increasing non-petroleum exports to $100 billion, through building a comprehensive industrial strategy. The strategy identified 7 priority industries, with the automotive industry at the top. This approach comes within the government's efforts to enhance local value addition and attract foreign direct investment that supports the national economy.

Expansion Plans and Deepening Local Manufacturing

During the meeting, the Minister of Industry outlined plans for expanding the automotive industry and deepening local manufacturing, in addition to technology transfer. He noted that the automotive industry has a significant capacity to attract investments and transfer technology, making it a leading sector targeted under the national industrial strategy. He also affirmed that the state is moving forward with implementing supportive policies to transform Egypt into a regional hub for automotive manufacturing.

National Program for Automotive Industry Development

The Minister stated that the national program for developing the automotive industry represents a fundamental pillar for attracting major global brands to the Egyptian market. This program aims to create an attractive investment environment, provide incentives for investors, while focusing on increasing the percentage of local components in vehicles manufactured locally. This enhances Egypt's ability to compete regionally, especially given the trend of many global companies to diversify their supply chains.

Moving Toward a Green Economy

In this context, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi stressed the necessity of working diligently towards localizing the automotive industry and its components, contributing to building a strong industrial base capable of regional and international competition. He emphasized the importance of expanding the production of electric vehicles, supporting the state's orientation towards a green economy. These directives come at a time when the Egyptian market is witnessing growing interest in electric and hybrid vehicles, with new brands entering and expansion of charging infrastructure.