The UK Department for International Trade (DIT) and the Egyptian-British Chamber of Commerce (EBCC) held their second bilateral Committee meeting on Infrastructure today. The committee aims to bring together private sector companies from the United Kingdom and Egypt, relevant government departments and international financial institutions in support of increased bilateral collaboration in the infrastructure sector. The meeting included Sayed Ismail, Deputy Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Development in Egypt, who provided an update on major Egyptian construction and water projects, which are currently running as well as others in the pipeline and ways in which UK companies can collaborate through expertise and investment. The meeting was opened by Gareth Bayley OBE, British Ambassador to Egypt. He said: "I am delighted to see the DIT/EBCC Infrastructure Committee initiative continuing successfully with this second meeting, strengthening UK-Egypt bilateral cooperation and our partnership in construction and water management. Our commercial ties are truly growing: only last year, the UK company Hydro Industries secured a contract worth up to $200 million to build a world class water treatment plant on Egypt's Red Sea Coast, helping to safeguard one of the world's most precious ecosystems. The UK is keen to see these ties grow yet further, and I look forward to many more UK-Egypt partnerships in the booming infrastructure sector." The meeting was attended by major UK companies operating in the Construction and Water sector, including Mott MacDonald, Blue Water Bio, Hydro-industries and Mace. Alfred Assil, Co-Chair of the DIT/EBCC Infrastructure Committee and CEO of Menarail Transport Consultants, said: "Egypt is embarking on a new era in regards to long term sustainable infrastructure projects, specifically in the water sector; great collaboration potential could be foreseen between the UK and Egyptian companies that we are keen to present and follow up through these infrastructure committee meetings held by the chamber." Gordon Turley, Co-Chair of the DIT/EBCC Infrastructure Committee and Major Projects Director at Mott MacDonald, said: "This Forum is an exciting opportunity to hear and understand first-hand about the major upcoming developments in this sector and the openings they provide for UK businesses. We are grateful to the Ministry and Embassy for their contribution to this event.'' This is the second meeting organised by the Infrastructure Committee with special focus on the construction and water management sub-sector. These meetings are aimed at strengthening Egypt/UK bilateral partnerships, increasing foreign direct investment and promoting the export of services and products in these various sub-sectors of infrastructure.
