Egypt has signed a major joint venture agreement with US-based Dawah Pharma to manufacture and export pharmaceutical products and nutritional supplements to global markets, with a strategic focus on North America and Europe. The deal marks a significant milestone in Egypt's push to expand its pharmaceutical exports and attract foreign investment to its health sector. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly witnessed the signing ceremony, which took place in the presence of Deputy Prime Minister for Human Development and Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Public Enterprise Sector Mohamed El-Shimy, Head of the Egyptian Drug Authority Ali El-Ghamrawy, and Hisham Setit, Head of the Unified Procurement Authority for Medical Supplies and Technology. The agreement was signed by Ashraf El-Khouly, Executive Managing Director of the Egyptian Holding Company for Pharmaceuticals—affiliated with the Ministry of Public Enterprise Sector—and Hossam Abdel Maksoud, Chairman of Dawah Pharma. Prime Minister Madbouly said the agreement reflects Egypt's broader strategy to enhance national industries, with the pharmaceutical sector identified as a key priority. He described the partnership as a strong vote of confidence in the quality and potential of Egyptian manufacturing, particularly in the medical field. Minister El-Shimy emphasized that the partnership follows major investments to modernize the holding company's infrastructure, upgrade production lines, and align operations with international Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). He described the venture as a pivotal step in Egypt's plan to boost pharmaceutical exports, strengthen international collaboration, and increase foreign direct investment. Under the agreement, the new joint venture will manufacture and export a wide range of products including ampoules, nutritional supplements, sterile injections, ophthalmic preparations, and over-the-counter (OTC) medications. The first phase will focus on exporting six pre-approved dietary supplements to the US market—an unprecedented move for the Holding Company for Pharmaceuticals, after meeting all relevant international regulatory and quality benchmarks. The venture will leverage state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies for a diverse range of dosage forms including syrups, tablets, ampoules, pre-filled syringes, and transdermal patches. This is expected to accelerate global market entry for Egyptian-made products and support long-term growth for the company and its subsidiaries. El-Shimy affirmed that the new company will comply with the most stringent international regulations, particularly those set by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA), to ensure the competitiveness of Egyptian products in North America, Europe, and emerging markets in Africa and Asia. As per the terms of the agreement, the Egyptian Holding Company for Pharmaceuticals will hold a 40% stake in the joint venture, while Dawah Pharma will own 60%. The partnership will also spearhead efforts to open new international markets for Egyptian pharmaceutical exports, solidifying Egypt's position as a regional hub for high-quality medical manufacturing.
