Kamel Al-Wazir, Egypt's Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport, has met with Kacou Houadja Adom Leon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration, and Ivorians Abroad of Côte d'Ivoire, to explore new opportunities for bilateral cooperation in industry and transport. At the outset of the meeting, Al-Wazir highlighted the robust ties between Egypt and Côte d'Ivoire, noting that President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has emphasized the need to deepen cooperation with African nations. As part of this, Egypt is keen to share its urban development expertise with African countries, including Côte d'Ivoire, across various sectors. He also pointed out the creation of a dedicated department within the Ministry of Transport to further promote Egyptian-African collaboration in the transport sector, underscoring Egypt's strong commitment to expanding partnerships with its African neighbors. Minister Kacou, in turn, expressed Côte d'Ivoire's keen interest in expanding its cooperation with Egypt, particularly in areas such as infrastructure, industry, aviation, agriculture, and mineral extraction. He also highlighted the potential for training Ivorian personnel in various sectors. Recognizing Egypt as a major regional power with extensive capabilities, he underscored Egypt's critical role in strengthening their partnership. The Ivorian Foreign Minister also commended the successful involvement of Egyptian companies, such as Arab Contractors and Rowad Modern Engineering, in executing several infrastructure projects in Côte d'Ivoire. He expressed a desire to build on these successes by expanding such collaborations and leveraging Egypt's expertise in various fields. Al-Wazir welcomed these remarks, reaffirming Egypt's eagerness to boost economic cooperation and trade between the two nations. He highlighted the readiness of Egypt's specialized national companies to implement infrastructure projects in Côte d'Ivoire—ranging from roads and bridges to railways, seaports, dry ports, and airports—at competitive costs, with high-quality standards and fast project timelines. Al-Wazir also expressed his intent to visit Côte d'Ivoire soon, leading a delegation of specialized companies and Egyptian investors to explore further cooperation aligned with the country's development goals. He emphasized that infrastructure projects are crucial to national progress, serving as the foundation for investments and development across sectors such as industry and agriculture. In addition, Al-Wazir stressed the importance of logistics cooperation, suggesting the establishment of logistics zones in both Egypt and Côte d'Ivoire to facilitate the exchange of goods. He also advocated for industrial integration, proposing the creation of joint factories in Côte d'Ivoire that would capitalize on the country's raw materials, such as rubber, leveraging Egypt's strong manufacturing capabilities. Minister Kacou expressed his support for Al-Wazir's proposal and formally invited him to visit Côte d'Ivoire soon with a business delegation. An official invitation will be sent shortly, marking a significant step toward deepening bilateral ties.
