Cairo, July 5, 2018- Medical and Pharmaceutical products can provide a starting platform for Egyptian exports to enter the African market, as Egypt has numerous competitive advantages in this domain, Minister of Trade and Industry Amr Nassar announced on Thursday, during a meeting with members of the Egyptian Export Council of Medical Industries (ECMI). Minister Nassar said the ministry was giving the African continent top priority as it was one of the most important markets that the ministry was targeting as part of its strategy to develop and increase exports. The ministry was currently coordinating with the Health Minister, Hala Zayed, to hold a joint conference to discuss all the challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry, which was one of the most important strategic industries in Egypt. The Minister pointed out the ministry was to establish a special unit directly supervised by him, to deal with the urgent problems facing the industrial sector, especially the export-related ones. Speaking about the ministry's plan, the minister said the focus would be on defining a comprehensive strategy to increase exports from every sector, especially the ones in which Egypt has great potential, enabling it to compete in international markets. The plan would also be aimed at expanding participation in the markets which are already open to Egyptian products, by establishing logistical centres in African countries, to facilitate the flow of Egyptian exports to those markets. The head of the ECMI, Maged George, said that the council's plan for 2018-2021 was tragetting the African markets and the Arab markets. The plan involved conducting studies on the targetted markets, through two major international companies specialised in preparing these studies. The ECMI, he continued, was mulling over organising missions and meetings inside and outside Egypt, to boost medical and pharmaceutical exports.
