Minister of Planning and Economic Development: Localizing Industries and Shifting Toward Productive and Industrial Sectors Are Our Priorities
Dr. Ahmed Rostom, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, participated in a high-level seminar organized by the Economic Research Forum (ERF) and the Euro-Mediterranean Forum of Institutes of Economic Sciences (FEMISE), in partnership with the ANIMA Investment Network, to discuss Euro-Mediterranean industrial cluster policies.
The seminar, entitled “Policy Dialogue on Cluster-Based Innovation and Regional Value Chains,” brought together policymakers and industrial leaders from the Mashreq region and Europe.
During his remarks, Dr. Ahmed Rostom emphasized that Egypt is moving steadily toward a more diversified, innovative, and export-oriented economy, with particular emphasis on tradable sectors and deeper integration into regional value chains.
He explained that the Egyptian economy possesses numerous competitive advantages that position the country to strengthen its role as a regional hub for production, innovation, and services, connecting Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
The Minister highlighted the government’s efforts to capitalize on Egypt’s strategic geographical location, skilled workforce, and advanced infrastructure to create the necessary conditions for attracting high-quality investment, enhancing industrial competitiveness, and expanding Egyptian companies’ access to regional and international markets.
Dr. Rostom also reviewed the development of Egypt’s economic growth rates in recent years, noting the increasing contribution of the non-oil manufacturing sector.
He explained that this progress comes amid ongoing government measures to expand industrial complexes, encourage foreign investment, and cooperate with leading international companies to localize various industries.
He stressed that these efforts will continue as part of Egypt’s broader economic transformation, aimed at increasing production and exports and making them the primary drivers of economic growth.
For his part, Dr. Raed Safadi, Executive Director of the Economic Research Forum (ERF) and President of FEMISE, stated:
“Strong industrial clusters are fundamentally built on connections: linking businesses with knowledge, technology, finance, and markets. When these connections function effectively, they increase productivity, accelerate innovation, and help companies compete beyond their national borders. Our goal in Cairo is to identify practical policy reforms that can strengthen these connections across the Mashreq region.”
The seminar addressed three key priorities for strengthening industrial cluster ecosystems:
- Strengthening Industrial Cluster Governance: Improving coordination, institutional frameworks, and governance mechanisms within industrial clusters.
- Enhancing Innovation and Competitiveness: Strengthening innovation ecosystems, research–industry cooperation, and industrial competitiveness.
- Financing Innovation and Sustainability: Supporting innovation financing and developing sustainable industrial cluster ecosystems.