Ahmed Samir, Minister of Trade and Industry, said that the ministry attaches great importance to the leather industry with the aim of making Egypt a strategic centre for this sector, not only locally and regionally, but also internationally. This will be possible through achieving integration between value chains in the Egyptian leather industry to reach a high-quality product capable of competing in the local and foreign markets. He stressed that the city is one of the most important specialized industrial cities designed according to the latest international standards, as the total investments that have been pumped into the city so far amount to about EGP 7.2bn. This came during the minister's inspection tour of the Robbiki Leather City, which included a visit to a number of tanneries in the city, as well as the technology center and glue factories, in addition to the 100 factories area for finished products. Samir added that the ministry aims to increase the added value of the products manufactured in the city of Robiki and to integrate value chains therein, as 100 factories have been established in the city in accordance with presidential directives to provide a favorable environment for the manufacture of finished products such as shoes, bags and leather clothing to meet the needs of the local market and reduce dependence on imports. He noted that these factories range in size, from 1000 to 4000 square meters, in addition to small production units on an area of 120 and 68 square metres, as well as a technology center, training center, commercial areas and logistic warehouses, with investments exceeding EGP 2.9bn, to be offered to investors during the coming stage. The Minister of Trade and Industry listened to a presentation by Mahmoud Mahrez, President of the Cairo Investment, Urban Development Company, which dealt with the current situation of the city, an area of 506 feddan, in addition to an area of 282 feddan for sewage and water stations serving the city, and an area of feddan of a tree forest to accommodate industrial wastewater. The first phase of the project will be completed with a total of 213 production units for about 195 investors on an area of 176 feddan, transferred from Magra El-Ayoun area at a cost of EGP 2.2bn, and glue factories for those moving from Magra El-Ayoun, and 40 factories allocated at a cost of EGP 180m on an area of 18 feddan. In addition, tanneries for 101 manufacturers with 22 feddan, will be completed at a total cost of EGP 300m. In this framework, Samir said it is essential to coordinate with the Ministry of Housing represented by the Holding Company for Drinking Water and Sanitation to expedite the completion of the rehabilitation of the sewage and treatment plants to accommodate the sewage movement in the city, especially in light of the availability of an appropriation of EGP 1.6bn allocated for this purpose.
