Mahmoud Esmat, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, met with Mark Bryson-Richardson, the UK Ambassador to Egypt, and his accompanying delegation to discuss ways of strengthening bilateral cooperation, expanding joint initiatives, and leveraging advanced technologies in the electricity sector.
The talks also focused on attracting further investment in renewable energy projects, benefiting from British expertise in peer-to-peer (P2P) energy systems, and using renewable energy plants to supply electricity to remote areas. The meeting comes as part of Egypt’s energy transition plan to increase the share of renewable energy in the country’s energy mix, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and advance the National Energy Strategy and the Ministry’s work programme.
During the meeting, Esmat praised the longstanding partnership between Egypt and the United Kingdom, stressing the importance of expanding cooperation and creating new opportunities for British companies operating in the clean and renewable energy sector.
He highlighted opportunities for collaboration under the National Energy Strategy, including plans to localise the manufacturing of electrical equipment for solar and wind power projects, strengthen and expand the unified electricity grid, develop battery energy storage systems, and implement strategic projects aimed at increasing the share of renewable energy in Egypt’s energy mix to 45% by 2028.
The minister also underscored the importance of drawing on British expertise in developing solar energy projects to electrify remote areas, while enhancing cooperation in training programmes and knowledge exchange. He noted that the private sector plays a central role in implementing the National Energy Strategy.
Esmat said the Egyptian government places significant emphasis on the electricity sector as a key pillar of the country’s sustainable development agenda and its industrial, agricultural and urban expansion plans. He highlighted Egypt’s abundant renewable energy resources, particularly solar and wind power, noting that the Ministry’s strategy focuses on maximising the economic returns from these resources.
He added that the government has introduced a comprehensive package of measures to improve the investment climate, attract investment, and encourage greater private sector participation and leadership in the renewable energy sector. He reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to expanding cooperation with the United Kingdom and attracting more British companies to invest in the sector, building on the strong bilateral relationship between the two countries.
Esmat said greater participation by British companies in Egypt’s electricity and renewable energy sectors would support technology transfer, enhance local capabilities, and attract additional investment to help achieve the country’s clean energy objectives.
For his part, Ambassador Bryson-Richardson praised the expertise of Egypt’s electricity sector and stressed the importance of maintaining close cooperation across all areas of electricity, particularly renewable energy. He affirmed the UK’s commitment to encouraging more British investors to channel new investments into Egypt’s energy sector.
The ambassador also noted that a growing number of British companies are interested in investing in Egypt’s renewable energy sector.
