Trade volume between Egypt and the Gulf countries exceeded $25 billion.

Egyptian-Gulf Investment Forum - (Egyptian Prime Minister's Office)

The Egyptian-Gulf Trade and Investment Forum 2025 kicked off in Cairo.

The 2025 Egyptian-Gulf Trade and Investment Forum kicked off in Cairo on Monday, under the theme "A Roadmap for Enhancing Egyptian-Gulf Economic Cooperation."

The forum was attended by Egyptian Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Jassem Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the GCC, Dr. Majid Abdullah Al-Qasabi, Saudi Minister of Commerce, Khalifa Abdullah Al-Ajil, Kuwaiti Minister of Commerce and Industry, Sheikh Faisal Abdullah Al-Rawas, Chairman of the Federation of GCC Chambers, Ahmed El-Wakil, Chairman of the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce, several Egyptian ministers, ambassadors, senior economic and trade officials from the GCC countries, and a group of business leaders from both Egypt and the Gulf.

Egyptian Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly affirmed the keenness of both Egypt and the Gulf states to strengthen economic, trade, and investment cooperation across various sectors of mutual interest, and to elevate it to broader horizons. 

This aims to achieve the interests of the people and their aspirations for prosperity, growth, and sustainable development, in line with the depth, strength, and unique nature of these relations on the political level. 

This is especially important given the significant challenges facing the region, as well as the major economic and customs challenges in the global economy, which are negatively impacting the region's economies, according to a statement from the Egyptian Cabinet.

For his part, Saudi Minister of Commerce Dr. Majid Al-Qasabi stated in his address to the forum: "The world today faces rapidly evolving economic challenges, which necessitates that we unite our efforts and work together to formulate a comprehensive economic roadmap that facilitates investment and launches high-quality joint projects in various sectors, most notably energy, tourism, technology, and creative industries."

Al-Qasabi stated that the success of Gulf-Egyptian integration not only contributes to the growth of our economies but also solidifies our region's position as an influential international investment powerhouse, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). 

He emphasized that Saudi-Egyptian relations represent a firmly established model of brotherhood and strategic partnership spanning decades, supported by a shared political will. The distinctiveness of this partnership is further underscored today by the integration between the Kingdom's Vision 2030 and Egypt's Vision 2030, two ambitious Arab visions striving to achieve comprehensive and sustainable development.

He explained that these mutual efforts have resulted in significant growth in the volume of trade exchange. The value of trade exchange between the Kingdom and Egypt in 2024 exceeded $16 billion, achieving a growth of 28% compared to the previous year. The total trade volume between the two countries over the past five years has reached approximately $72 billion.

Dr. Al-Qasabi explained that 10,198 Egyptian companies currently operate in the Kingdom across various sectors, with construction companies leading the way with 4,786 registered businesses. More than 1.6 million Egyptians are participating in the development journey of their second home, the Kingdom. These figures clearly reflect the depth of shared economic interests and the strength of the growing investment ties between the two countries.

He noted that cooperation extends beyond bilateral relations to include collaboration between Egypt and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, which are Egypt's primary trading partners globally. Trade volume exceeded $25 billion in 2024, representing a 17% increase compared to 2023. He emphasized that attracting more investment and developing partnerships requires a clear and transparent business environment. The faster and clearer the procedures, the greater the investment appetite and the more sustainable the growth of partnerships.

The first day's sessions began with a discussion of a topic entitled: "Prospects for Trade and Investment Relations between Egypt and the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries," followed by a session entitled "Economic Reforms and Investment Opportunities in Egypt and Success Stories of Gulf Investors>

" then a session on "Prospects for Real Estate Development and Tourism Development," followed by a topic on "Investment in Clean and Renewable Energy," then a session on "Mechanisms and Areas for Enhancing Food Security," and the first day concluded with a session entitled "Sources and Mechanisms of Financing."