Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi met on Monday with Lieutenant General Mokhtar Abdel Latif, Chairperson of the Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI), to review the progress of strategic civil and defence industry projects designed to strengthen domestic manufacturing and localize advanced technologies, according to a presidential statement. Presidential spokesperson Mohamed El-Shennawy said the meeting highlighted AOI's initiatives across multiple sectors, including transport, clean energy, medical supplies, and wood products, as well as its ongoing efforts to expand military production for the armed forces and boost exports. Abdel Latif outlined the AOI's strategic vision, which focuses on industrial modernisation, developing skilled human capital, advancing scientific research, and forging partnerships with major local, regional, and international companies to reinforce Egypt's position as a regional manufacturing hub. The AOI chief also announced that production has begun on the Citroën C4X in cooperation with global automotive group Stellantis, with an annual target of 7,000 vehicles and a cumulative goal of 28,000 over four years. Production of the new Jeep Cherokee is scheduled to start in September 2024, alongside the Toyota Fortuner SUV at a planned annual output of 1,200 units. In addition, AOI is expanding into electronics, with new production lines for laptops, tablets, smartphones, prepaid electricity meters, and routers aimed at meeting domestic demand and reducing reliance on imports. The meeting also covered AOI's clean energy initiatives, including the manufacture of advanced solar panels and the development of a solar power station in Uganda as part of Egypt's contribution to the Nile Basin Initiative. AOI is further investing in smart digital marketing platforms to broaden its reach in both local and regional markets. On human capital development, Abdel Latif highlighted the organisation's education and training programmes through its technology and engineering academies, vocational institutes, and international collaborations, such as with the International Institute of Welding in Italy. President Al-Sisi commended AOI's achievements and called for continued efforts to expand domestic production, reduce costs, and enhance competitiveness. He also stressed the importance of minimising imports in key sectors to cut the trade deficit and save foreign currency, while urging greater coordination among government ministries, the private sector, and national industrial institutions to unlock Egypt's full manufacturing potential.
