Mohamed Salah El-Din Mostafa, Minister of State for Military Production, met with Agostino Palese, Italy's Ambassador to Egypt, and his accompanying delegation on the third day of the Egypt Defence Expo (EDEX 2025) to discuss mechanisms for enhancing bilateral relations. The Minister affirmed the depth of the historical ties between Egypt and Italy, noting that the meeting aligns with the Ministry's strategy to deepen local manufacturing in line with President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi's directives to localise advanced industrial technologies across the Ministry's companies and affiliated units. He outlined the unique and fully integrated ecosystem of Egypt's military production sector, which comprises 15 industrial companies, as well as a construction company, an information systems company, a centre for scientific and technological excellence, a maintenance company, a training sector, a medical centre, ammunition and weapons testing ranges, and an academy for advanced engineering and technology. This integrated structure, he said, positions the Ministry as a cornerstone of national industry. The Minister emphasised that the Ministry's core mandate is to meet the needs of the Armed Forces and the police for military products, including small, medium and heavy ammunition, weapons, equipment, tanks, armoured vehicles and advanced electronic systems, manufactured using the latest technologies. Surplus production capacity, he added, is used to manufacture high-quality civilian products at competitive prices and to contribute to major national and development projects. Mostafa reviewed the capabilities of the Ministry's companies and units, with emphasis on the military products showcased at the fourth edition of EDEX. He highlighted the Ministry's ongoing efforts to upgrade standard product lines and introduce new ones, whether through cooperation with local or international partners or through research activities carried out at its specialised centres in coordination with Armed Forces institutions. He praised Italy's strong participation in EDEX 2025 and expressed hope for an even wider presence of Italian companies in future editions, particularly given the sophistication and diversity of Italian military technologies. For his part, Ambassador Palese commended the Ministry's role in strengthening the distinguished relations between Egypt and Italy, noting the notable progress achieved in recent years. He also praised the Ministry's exhibits at EDEX 2025, highlighting its commitment to continuous development, innovation and openness to forming strategic partnerships, an approach that encourages Italian defence companies to explore new avenues of cooperation. The Ambassador toured the pavilions of Italian companies participating in the exhibition to view their latest products first-hand. Palese further noted that Egypt is an increasingly attractive investment destination due to its strategic location connecting Africa, Europe, Asia and the Middle East; its abundant energy resources; developed infrastructure; and highly skilled workforce. He also highlighted Egypt's significant advances in military manufacturing. He emphasised the importance of sustaining the current momentum in bilateral relations and called for increased exchanges of specialised and technical delegations from both countries. Such visits, he said, would enable both sides to assess on-the-ground capabilities and identify areas of mutual interest for cooperation across a range of industrial fields.
