Dr. Mahmoud Issa -Minister of Industry and Foreign Trade- confirmed that the industrial community should take its responsibility towards the problem of unemployment. This came during his meeting with members of the Chamber of Engineering Industries in the presence of Engineer Hamdi Abdel Aziz, chairman of the chamber, where they discussed the most important challenges facing the engineering industry during the current stage, and the future vision for the development of this sector during the coming period. Issa said that the sector of engineering industries is considered as one of the promising sectors, which provides significant competitive advantages to the Egyptian industry, and these advantages qualify that sector to have a leading position and to be subject of continuous development, and they also accommodate the integration of large, medium, and small industries to present an added value to the industry and also reduce the imports from abroad. He pointed out that during the meeting they discussed a number of proposals and mechanisms to deal with the problems and obstacles facing the engineering industries, including the importance of developing a comprehensive vision for the activation of the council of ministers decisions that favor the local products as an alternative to import particularly in government purchases, as well as increasing the participation of the Egyptian companies for engineering industries in the implementation of national projects , and the increase of the local component to meet the needs of the industrial sector of materials and supplies. The chamber also demanded an increase of the customs imposed on some products, which have similar locally made products, beside taking advantage of the international agreements that protect the economy and its impact on the engineering industries sector, in addition to the activation of vehicles industry and supporting the medical equipment and supplies factories. The minister pointed out that there is full coordination between the Ministry and the various ministries and business organizations to solve all the problems facing manufacturers and exporters immediately. As the ministry formed a committee that follow the Minister, in which the manufacturers themselves solve their sector and personal problems, he also pointed out that a memorandum will be presented to the Prime Minister, which will include the most important decisions that were agreed upon to resolve the problems of engineering industries.
