Minister of Trade and Industry Ahmed Samir and Governor of Aswan Ashraf Attia have inaugurated four small and medium-sized factories in Al-Allaqi Industrial Area, bringing the total opened factories to 27, out of 34 factories planned to be opened in phases with a total investment of EGP 150m. During the tour, both officials inspected a number of industrial facilities operating in the fields of chemicals, marble, and granite, according to a press statement issued by the Ministry of Trade and Industry on Saturday. Samir said that the expansion of industrial activities in Upper Egypt and the direction of new investments in various industrial sectors is a basic pillar to reach objectives of the ministry's plan to achieve comprehensive and sustainable industrial development. Samir added that his ministry is working to maximise the use of competitive advantages and available resources in each governorate, thus contributing to increasing productivity rates, as well as increasing exports and providing more job opportunities for the residents of Upper Egypt. The minister stated that Aswan Governorate possesses all ingredients that qualify it to be a manufacturing center for many industrial activities, especially mining industries, especially in light of the availability of many raw materials and quarry materials, which increases the added value of these raw materials. He added that the small and medium-sized industrial complexes in Aswan were recently launched, among 3 complexes that were launched in August, and included governorates of Assiut and Qena, bringing the total of industrial complexes established by the ministry in Upper Egypt to 10. For his part, Aswan Governor Ashraf Attia said that the governorate is working to diversify activities of new factories to be allocated in marble and granite industries and the recycling of quarry waste, as well as factories for wooden doors, windows, electrical panels, packaging, foodstuffs, juices, feed, nails, meat, hydraulic hoses, car brushes, snow and storage refrigerators. The industrial zone in Al-Allaqi is located on 50 feddan, which is an extension of the industrial zone, which is located on an area of 273 feddan and includes 78 factories in fields of food, electrical, building, craft and environmental industries with occupancy rate of 75%.
