Egypt’s Minister of Industry, Khaled Hashem, held talks with South Africa’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, to explore opportunities for strengthening economic cooperation and advancing industrial integration between the two countries.
The meeting was attended by South Africa’s Ambassador to Egypt, Ntsiki Mashimbye, Assistant Minister of Industry for International Cooperation Ahmed Maghawry, and senior officials from both sides.
Discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in a number of industrial sectors, including pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and equipment, automotive manufacturing and component industries, as well as logistics infrastructure.
During the meeting, Hashem emphasised the strong ties between Egypt and South Africa, describing industrial integration as a key driver of competitiveness and support for Africa’s broader industrialisation agenda.
He noted that closer cooperation could help both countries make better use of their resources and industrial capabilities.
The minister said Egypt is seeking to attract automotive component manufacturers to establish production facilities in the country and benefit from incentives offered under the National Automotive Industry Development Programme, which targets annual vehicle production of 100,000 units by 2030.
Hashem also revealed that Egypt is currently negotiating with several global pharmaceutical companies to invest in the local production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) as part of efforts to transfer technology and localise pharmaceutical manufacturing.
He added that the establishment of an Egyptian-South African Business Council could help strengthen ties between the private sectors in both countries and support the implementation of joint projects.
He also proposed forming a joint committee between the two ministries to monitor cooperation initiatives and address any challenges facing ongoing projects.
For his part, South African Minister Parks Tau highlighted his country’s capabilities in the automotive and pharmaceutical industries, noting that South Africa is the largest vehicle manufacturer and exporter on the African continent.
Tau stressed the importance of finalising negotiations on a memorandum of understanding related to automotive industry development between the two countries, saying the agreement would help support intra-African trade and attract strategic investments into the sector.
Both ministers also underscored the importance of enhancing coordination to advance Africa’s development agenda, particularly through the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and promoting industrialisation across the continent.
