Egypt’s Minister of Industry, Khaled Hashem, held talks with Hagos Gebrehiwet, Economic Adviser to the Eritrean President, and Nasr El-Din Saleh, Eritrea’s Minister of Trade and Industry, to explore avenues for strengthening bilateral cooperation in industry and joint investment.
Hashem highlighted the strength of strategic relations between Egypt and Eritrea, noting that they are underpinned by a long history of close cooperation, as well as geographic and political proximity. He reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to expanding economic ties with Eritrea, particularly in industrial development and joint investments that support sustainable growth in both economies.
He added that Egypt aims to deepen cooperation by leveraging Eritrea’s strategic location and natural resource base alongside Egypt’s industrial expertise, with a view to achieving greater industrial integration.
Priority sectors identified for collaboration include agro-industries, mining, fisheries, renewable energy –particularly solar power– and the development of industrial infrastructure.
Hashem also underscored the importance of establishing a joint Egyptian-Eritrean business council to strengthen private sector engagement and accelerate the implementation of agreed projects.
He noted that Egypt is prepared to support Eritrea in developing local manufacturing strategies, deploying Egyptian technical expertise, and conducting feasibility studies for priority projects. These efforts, he said, could help lay the foundation for strategic industries in Eritrea, attract investment, meet domestic demand, and boost exports to neighbouring markets.
The minister further highlighted opportunities for cooperation in human capital development, including the establishment of vocational and technical training centres, as well as strengthening institutional frameworks, trade systems, and quality standards.
For his part, Gebrehiwet affirmed Eritrea’s keenness to deepen cooperation with Egypt, describing it as a key strategic partner in the region. He said his visit to Cairo, leading a high-level government delegation, aims to develop a roadmap for advancing bilateral cooperation across multiple economic sectors.
He added that discussions also covered boosting trade exchange, addressing banking and transport-related challenges, and enhancing investment flows by leveraging the comparative advantages of both countries. Gebrehiwet also expressed Eritrea’s interest in benefiting from Egypt’s expertise in agro-industrial manufacturing and in developing its industrial workforce.
