Hossam Heiba, the CEO of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), led a promotional visit to Japan, accompanied by representatives from the Egyptian-Japanese Business Council and the Japan Cooperation Center for the Middle East (JCCME). The visit was organized with the help of the Egyptian Embassy and the Commercial Representation Office in Tokyo. The visit involved bilateral meetings with major Japanese companies in various sectors, such as automotive and its components, electronics, pharmaceuticals, construction equipment, new and renewable energy, and food industries. The meetings also included key Japanese banks and financial institutions, and representatives of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization regional office in Tokyo. The Japanese companies expressed their confidence in the Egyptian economy and their appreciation for the Egyptian government's efforts to improve the investment environment in Egypt. They also expressed their interest in expanding their investments in the Egyptian market, which serves as a strategic hub for manufacturing and exporting Japanese products. The visit also featured an Egyptian-Japanese investment forum that attracted 100 Japanese companies and entities. The forum highlighted the potential investment areas and opportunities in Egypt, as well as the successful experiences of Japanese companies operating in Egypt, such as Sumitomo Egypt and Otsuka. Ambassador Mohamed Abu Bakr, the Egyptian Ambassador to Tokyo, hosted a roundtable discussion at the embassy's headquarters, where Hossam Heiba presented the state's strategy for car manufacturing and updated the Japanese business community on the latest developments in the business environment in Egypt. The discussion focused on the automotive industry and related sectors. Heiba visited the Ota Industrial Techno Center, one of the largest industrial complexes in Tokyo, which hosts many small and medium-sized companies in different fields. The visit aimed to learn from the Japanese experience in industrial development through creative applications and the use of artificial intelligence, as well as to explore the best facilities and incentives offered by the Japanese government for entrepreneurs.
