Hossam Heiba, CEO of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), announced that the Authority is working to significantly increase the industrial sector’s contribution to Egypt’s GDP—from the current 14-15% to between 30% and 32%. He also outlined a national goal to raise Egyptian exports to $145bn by 2030.
Heiba’s remarks came during a high-level meeting with the 10th of Ramadan Investors Association, co-chaired by Heiba and Association Chairperson Samir Ezzat Ismail Aref. The meeting included representatives from the Ministry of Electricity, Ministry of Housing, and the Social Insurance Authority, and focused on strengthening coordination mechanisms and improving the overall investment environment.
Heiba emphasized that this was the first such meeting with the Association and marked a key step in deepening government–investor dialogue. He stressed the importance of supporting existing investors, noting their critical role in attracting new investment and driving industrial growth.
He reaffirmed GAFI’s commitment to streamlining procedures and eliminating barriers, commending government entities for implementing impactful reforms that support the private sector. He also highlighted the launch of the Economic Entities Platform as a transformative move toward digitizing and unifying licensing processes through a single electronic window.
“Transparency, clarity, and inter-agency coordination have become pillars of our investment strategy,” Heiba said, calling for regular meetings to closely monitor progress and address emerging challenges.
Samir Aref welcomed the launch of the Economic Entities Platform, describing it as a long-standing demand of investors. He said the platform helps eliminate bureaucratic fragmentation and enhances procedural efficiency, contributing to a more favorable business climate.
During the meeting, Association members raised concerns related to infrastructure, utility services, and support for industrial expansion. GAFI pledged to work closely with relevant ministries and agencies to ensure timely responses and improve service quality for investors in the region.
