Hossam Heiba, CEO of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), embarked on a promotional tour to entice Dutch investments in the green hydrogen sector.
Heiba actively participated in the World Hydrogen Summit held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands—an influential event in Europe’s green energy landscape. During the summit, attendees explored strategies to support the global transition toward green energy, emphasizing the pivotal roles of governments, the private sector, and financial institutions.
In a panel discussion titled “Opportunities for Cooperation in Green Hydrogen Between Egypt and the Netherlands,” Heiba engaged with prominent figures, including Walid Gamal El-Din, CEO of the Suez Canal Economic Authority; Ayman Soliman, CEO of the Sovereign Fund of Egypt; Gijs Postma, Director of Energy Markets at the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy; Erik van der Heijden, Director of Energy Transition at the Port of Rotterdam; and Bart de Smet, Green Hydrogen Development Officer at the Netherlands International Investment Corporation.
Heiba underscored Egypt’s commitment to achieving climate goals, particularly by expanding reliance on green hydrogen. Additionally, on the summit’s sidelines, the “Africa Hydrogen Forum” facilitated knowledge exchange among African countries regarding infrastructure preparation and investment legislation to attract green hydrogen investments. Heiba highlighted Egypt’s incentives for the green hydrogen sector and explored suitable investment systems for related projects.
Concluding the tour, the GAFI CEO actively participated in the Egyptian-Dutch Business Forum, organized by the Egyptian Embassy in the Netherlands. Ambassador Hatem Abdel Qader, Egypt’s Ambassador to the Netherlands, also attended. During the forum, Heiba held bilateral meetings with representatives from investment and financing entities, as well as major Dutch companies operating in renewable energy, infrastructure, agriculture, and food industries. The discussions centred on investment opportunities in Egypt and ways to enhance cooperation between the two nations.
Furthermore, Heiba reviewed progress in improving Egypt’s investment climate, including the activation of sector-specific investment incentives and the establishment of a streamlined golden license unit encompassing all necessary permits for company establishment and operation.
