The General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) held an expanded meeting with French Ambassador to Egypt Éric Chevallier and Egyptian Customs Authority Chairperson Ahmed Amoui, bringing together senior French officials and representatives of French companies operating in the Egyptian market to discuss ways to strengthen investment cooperation and improve the business environment.
The meeting included the participation of Pascal Forêt, Head of the Economic Department at the French Embassy in Cairo; Christelle Labernède, Country Director of Business France in Egypt; Laurent Pasquier, Regional Customs Attaché; and Mohamed Saad, Head of the Egypt branch of French Foreign Trade Advisors.
The discussions come within the framework of Egypt’s efforts to enhance the investment climate, modernise its regulatory environment, and attract further foreign direct investment.
Hossam Heiba, CEO of GAFI, underscored the important role of French investments in supporting Egypt’s economic growth, highlighting the continued expansion and diversification of French companies across the industrial and service sectors. Heiba noted that the government is implementing wide-ranging reforms to modernise the customs system, including accelerating pre-clearance procedures, expanding digital platforms, improving valuation methods, and reducing release times—measures that strengthen Egypt’s competitiveness and facilitate trade flows.
He emphasised that French investors can benefit from GAFI’s Permanent Unit for Investor Problem-Solving and the Investor Dispute Resolution Centre, which provide swift and effective mechanisms to address challenges and stabilise investment activities. Heiba added that the meeting marks the start of a regular dialogue platform between GAFI, the French Embassy, and French companies to discuss constraints and enhance the overall business environment.
For his part, Ambassador Chevallier reiterated France’s commitment to advancing economic and investment cooperation with Egypt, stressing that French companies are longstanding partners in supporting the Egyptian economy and expanding opportunities across multiple sectors. He added that periodic meetings between both sides provide an important avenue for exchanging expertise, addressing bottlenecks, and streamlining procedures for French investors.
Customs Authority Chairperson Ahmed Amoui presented the key customs reforms underway, particularly in simplifying procedures, expanding digital infrastructure, and accelerating trade flows in line with international best practices, ultimately improving services provided to investors.
A dedicated discussion session followed, during which representatives of French companies raised customs-related challenges and supply-chain issues, and explored opportunities to support the expansion and stability of French investments in Egypt. Participating companies included leading players in the automotive, energy, food, logistics, biotechnology, aviation, sports, and hospitality sectors, among them Valeo, Air Liquide, Bel, CMA CGM, bioMérieux, Dassault, SCAT, Decathlon, and Groupe Barrière.
Both sides concluded the meeting by expressing their commitment to continued coordination and joint work, affirming that constructive dialogue between Egyptian government institutions and French businesses is vital to supporting the investment community, facilitating smoother procedures, and strengthening economic ties between Egypt and France.
