Egypt’s Vice Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport, Kamel Al-Wazir, held a virtual meeting with Thomas Schäfer, CEO of the Volkswagen brand and member of the Volkswagen Group Board of Management, to discuss the company’s plans to begin manufacturing cars in Egypt in the near future.
During the talks, Volkswagen presented its vision for expanding in the Egyptian market through a multi-phase industrial roadmap. The plan begins with contract manufacturing at the Egyptian-German Automotive (EGA) plant and progresses toward establishing a fully integrated vehicle manufacturing facility in the East Port Said Industrial Zone.
The proposal also outlines Volkswagen’s strategy to localise automotive component production, strengthen the capabilities of local suppliers, and establish a research and development centre to support technology transfer and skills development for Egyptian engineers. In addition, the company aims to open a specialised technical training centre focused on electric vehicle maintenance and repair.
Al-Wazir reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing a stable and attractive investment environment, stressing that the state stands ready to offer full support and overcome any challenges facing the project. He emphasised the importance of reinforcing industrial competitiveness, boosting local manufacturing capacity, and positioning Egypt as a regional industrial and logistics hub.
He also highlighted the strategic advantages available to Volkswagen in Egypt, including the country’s role as a gateway to the African continent. Al-Wazir noted the importance of integrating local and regional supply chains, including global component suppliers, into Volkswagen’s international network, while taking full advantage of the incentives offered by the National Automotive Industry Development Programme (AIDP).
For his part, Schäfer stated that Egypt has the necessary capabilities to play a pivotal role in the future of Africa’s automotive industry. He pointed to the country’s industrial base, strategic geographic location, skilled workforce, and the world-class infrastructure of East Port Said. He described the cooperation as a new step towards a long-term partnership aimed at supporting industrial localisation, enhancing competitiveness, and promoting exports, ultimately integrating Egypt into global automotive value chains.
