Egypt plans to raise the mining sector's contribution to GDP to 5 per cent by strengthening value-added industries and expanding related logistics services, including shipping, transport, storage, and supply chain management, the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) head Hossam Heiba stated on Wednesday. Addressing a panel discussing titled "Unlocking Egypt's Mining Potential: Building an Investor-Ready, Globally Competitive Sector" during Egypt Mining Forum 2025, Heiba highlighted the government's strategy to build long-term partnerships with the private sector and improve sector readiness through incentives and infrastructure. Heiba outlined key investment incentives available under Egypt's Investment Law, including a possible refund of about 50 per cent of the investment cost through tax deductions over seven years. The incentives include obtaining the Golden License which streamlines licensing and cuts licensing times to twenty days. He also pointed to the availability of tailored investment zones — such as private free zones and special investment areas — which offer streamlined approval processes. Heiba stressed that Egypt's digital platforms for company formation and licensing have delivered significant improvements in service delivery for the mining industry. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: M. S. Salama
