特別会員寄稿

Invest in Egypt
H.E. Dr. Sahar Nasr
Minister of Investment and International Cooperation
Arab Republic of Egypt

It gives me pleasure to write an article for the firsttime in Japan Institute for Overseas Investment’s
Magazine “JOI”, one of the most importantinternational business magazines in Japan.
Egypt and Japan have traditionally enjoyed cordialrelations. On the summit level, President AbdelFatah El-Sisi visited Japan in February to March2016. Before that, we welcomed Prime Minister
Shinzo Abe to Egypt in January 2015.
As per for the economic relations, Egypt and Japan
have long enjoyed good and friendly economicrelations. Currently, about 65 Japanese companies
are operating in Egypt and most of them are inmanufacturing sector.

promoting social justice and inclusion, andunlocking private sector investment potential.
Egypt adopts an ambitious development plan during
the last three years to increase the competitivenessof the economy. One of its pillars is to improve theinvestment climate and the business environment
through legislative, institutional and administrativereforms which include updated mechanisms toachieve greater involvement of the private sector tocontribute to the development process.

SIt was a great pleasure attending the Egypt – Japan
Business and Investment Forum that held in Tokyoon the second day of my successful visit to Tokyo
to promote investment in Egypt (17-20th, December2017).

ince assuming my role as Minister of Investment
and International Cooperation “MIIC”, I havemade several strides in improving the investment
environment and facilitating procedures for theprivate sector to inject new investments. This wasdone through the Companies Law, the Insolvency
Law and the New Investment Law No. 72 of 2017,including its guarantees and incentives for investors,
which contributed to the provision of an investment
environment suitable for them.

Egypt has pushed through major economic reforms,
implementing a structural transformation program,

Japan’s FDI in Egypt（US$ mn）
100

93.0

89.9

98.4

80
66.4

60

50.6

44.9

40

36.7
27.4

20

7*6/1

20

165/1

20

154/1/1

20

143/1

20

20

132/1

* Provisional.
Source: Central Bank of Egypt

121/120

11020

109/1

2009

808/0
2018.72007
2020/00

Meeting with Mr. Taro Kono, Minister for Foreign Affairs ofJapan during the visit to Tokyo in December 2017.

13.0

15.4

On 21st February 2018, it was with great honor thatI welcomed President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to MIIC.
The President attended the inauguration of the firstinvestment services center at MIIC’s headquarters,
alongside a number of ministers, top state officials
and top representatives from international financialinstitutions. Moreover, we launched during theinauguration ceremony Egypt’s investment map,including all investment opportunities in all fields
such as housing, industry and telecommunications.
(http://www.investinegypt.gov.eg)
During an inspection tour, I briefed the president
on the new investment services center.

E

gypt is at the forefront in terms of return on
investment and it enjoys several investment
privileges. It is also considered a gateway to a hugeregional market, namely the Arab World and theAfrican Continent. In addition, Egypt enjoys access tomajor markets through bilateral and multilateralagreements with the United States, Europe and theMiddle East. Besides, the Egyptian economy is themost diversified in the region.

President El Sisi Inaugurates the Investment Service
Center - ISC

GAFI’s website to allow investors incorporate theirown companies online without going to Investor
Service Center, as well as an investor call center
through hotline No. 16035 to communicate with
the investor and reply on his/her inquiries.
(http://www.gafi.gov.eg/English/eServices/Pages/eservices-guide.aspx)
GAFI - Incorporate Your Company by Yourself

Currently Egypt has 16 investment zones specialized
in different fields, and recently General Authority
for Investment and Free Zones “GAFI” Board ofDirectors has approved on the establishment of
three new investment zones within the frameworkof the Ministry’s plan to establish an investmentzone in each governorate.
In this regard, I would like to announce that there
are number of major projects the Japanese investors
can invest in such as Suez Canal Corridorand New ALameen.

MIIC - Egypt’s Investment Map

In the meanwhile, I would like also to call on
the Japanese companies operating in thefield of entrepreneurship to cooperate withMIIC through “Fekretak Sherketak” (YourIdea becomes Your Company) initiative tosupport start-ups.
Moreover, MIIC has launched “IncorporateYour Company by Yourself” service on the2018.721