The Swiss Chamber of Commerce in Egypt (SwissCham) held a panel discussion with various industry leaders to explore the trade and investment relations between the European Union (EU) and Egypt. The panel aimed to provide valuable insights into the current situation and prospects of bilateral cooperation.
The panel featured Nicolaos Zaimis, Head of the Economic and Trade Affairs at the EU Embassy in Egypt, and Amir Alfy, General Manager of Kuehne+Nagel, a global transportation and logistics company. The panel was moderated by Kamal Abdel Malik, Chairperson of SwissCham, who highlighted the solid partnership and robust ties between Egypt and the EU. He stressed the importance of the panel as a platform to discuss the trade dynamics, challenges, and opportunities between the two sides, and to find strategies to enhance the trade balance in the changing global context.
Zaimis affirmed that the EU is committed to working with Egypt to improve trade and investment relations for the mutual benefit and development of both parties. He praised the efforts made by the Egyptian government to attract foreign investments and to address the obstacles facing the investors. He also gave an overview of the scale and scope of the trade projects between the EU and Egypt, the trends and patterns of the imports and exports in 2022 and 2023, and the issues and achievements related to the foreign currency exchange, the International Monetary Fund program, and the state ownership policy.
Alfy shared the strategies adopted by Kuehne+Nagel to cope with the recent disruptions and developments in the Red Sea region, which is a vital corridor for global trade. He analyzed the impacts on the Suez Canal, which is a key source of income for the Egyptian economy, and the alternative solutions that his company offers.
SwissCham is dedicated to creating an interactive forum that fosters the exchange of ideas and cooperation between Egyptian and Swiss companies. The panel was part of its ongoing efforts to support and stimulate trade and investment relations, to bridge the views between the government, the private sector, and the development partners, and to provide an opportunity to learn from the plans and visions of the executive leaders for the coming year.
