Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly concluded an inspection tour of the Robbiki Leather City on Monday, highlighting the project's significance in reshaping Egypt's leather industry. Initiated under the direct guidance of President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, the project marks a major shift in the development of the leather sector and related industries in the country. Madbouly said: "The leather industry was once concentrated in the heart of Cairo, particularly in the Souq Magra El-Ayoun area. We all remember the challenging conditions and the unsuitable location for expanding this vital industry, which holds immense potential." He continued: "The decision, determination, and political will of the state, followed by the government's active role in implementing the plan, have led us to celebrate the progress we've made in this significant project." The Robbiki Leather City project spans 500 feddans and is being developed in phases. The first phase involved relocating more than 195 tanneries from the Souq Magra El-Ayoun area, with the government now delivering the first set of contracts to regularize the status of the relocated facilities. Madbouly emphasized that the second phase of the project is a key part of Egypt's vision to create added value in the leather industry. "Previously, Egypt's leather industry was limited to processing and exporting raw leather. Now, the vision is to connect this industry to leather product manufacturing, adding real value and boosting Egypt's export potential. This phase includes the establishment of factories for adhesives, gelatin, and other related products." The third phase focuses on producing finished leather products such as garments, shoes, and accessories—industries Egypt once thrived in but lost competitive edge over time. Madbouly stressed that this phase aims to revive these industries, leveraging global expertise, with the ultimate goal of expanding exports. The Prime Minister revealed that Robbiki Leather City already houses 100 factories, and the government is preparing to hand over the first batch of these factories to investors for direct operation. The factories will produce finished leather goods for export. With the completion of this large-scale project, Egypt expects annual export capacities to exceed $1bn, a significant increase from the previous figures, which were in the tens of millions of dollars.
