Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport, Kamel Al-Wazir, chaired the 19th meeting of the ministerial group for industrial development, where key economic and industrial issues were discussed.
The meeting reviewed the status of the Al-Harsh area in Al-Bayadiya village, Qantara West, currently under the jurisdiction of the General Authority for Reconstruction and Agricultural Development Projects. The area houses 16 unplanned factories interspersed with residential units and scattered agricultural lands. To address this, a joint committee—comprising the Industrial Development Authority (IDA) and the General Authority for Reconstruction and Agricultural Development Projects—was formed to redesign the area, legalize the status of existing factories, and initiate procedures for issuing a presidential decree to transfer jurisdiction to the IDA, officially converting the land from agricultural to industrial use.
Additionally, the meeting addressed requests from Qalaa Holdings regarding the allocation of 15,000 feddans of suitable agricultural land for expansion in agricultural and agri-industrial activities, particularly for herbs and aromatic plants. The company was granted permission to inspect available lands in the Sahil Baraka area, managed by the Egyptian Countryside Development Company, and the Abu Zaabal region, under the Ministry of Military Production.
Furthermore, the Mineral Resources Authority was tasked with reviewing the company’s requests for access to mines and quarries for essential raw materials such as talc and kaolin. Qalaa Holdings was directed to submit a detailed memorandum to the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources for further coordination with the Minister of Petroleum.
The meeting also reviewed a complaint from Gold Sky for Plastic regarding the high fees imposed by the National Food Safety Authority for export-related cup analysis. Previously, the Ministry of Health had charged lower fees for the same analysis. In response, Al-Wazir directed that a meeting be held between the company, the National Food Safety Authority, and the IDA to discuss the fee structure and its duration, aiming to alleviate the financial burden on exporters.
In addition, the Ministry of Finance presented its efforts to enhance governance and transparency through the electronic invoicing system, requiring institutional expense approvals to be linked to electronic invoices for purchased goods and services. The minister instructed the Finance Ministry to compile a comprehensive report with specific recommendations to combat tax evasion. Simultaneously, the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade was tasked with preparing a report on smuggling and the influx of certain imported goods into Egyptian markets, both of which will be submitted to the Prime Minister for further review.
The meeting also addressed concerns from industrial investors in the first and second industrial zones in Ismailia regarding insufficient electricity capacity, which has resulted in frequent power outages in factories due to increased demand. Despite efforts by the Ministry of Electricity to expand the region’s power supply, issues persist. To resolve this, the minister called for coordination between the Canal Company for Electricity Distribution and the Ismailia Governorate to study the feasibility of establishing a new power station to meet the area’s growing electricity needs.
