Staff report: CAIRO, July 16, 2018 - The upgrading of Military Production Ministry-affiliated companies and factories was the subject of a meeting that President Abdel Fattah El Sisi called Monday with the State Minister for Military Production, Dr Mohamed al-Assar. Noting that military production industries have a key role in the growth of the national economy, President Sisi stressed the importance of sustaining the efforts aimed at upgrading the companies and industrial plants of the Military Production Ministry, the Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Bassam Radi, said in a statement following the meeting. In addition to its principal task of meeting the Armed Forces needs of military products, Military Production Ministry's industrial output has an important role in the invigoration of the national industrial potential especially through fulfilling the needs of the local market and exporting the production surplus, President Sisi said in the course of the meeting. In directives he gave during the meeting, President Sisi called for the consolidation of co-operation between the ministry and big, specialised world companies in such a manner as would lead to the acquisition of modern technology and localising it, Spokesman Radi said. Such co-operation, the president elaborated, would open new horizons for industrial development on the basis of the capacity for innovativeness and advancement with the use of local potentials. The aspired co-operation, President Sisi added, can furthermore contribute to unleashing an industrial boost and the launching of such advanced projects that can serve as a driver for the national economy. Minister Assar outlined to President Sisi the ministry's overall strategic vision for the coming stage and its plan for upgrading its affiliate companies and factories, Spokesman Radi said. The plan, he added, aims to realise the comprehensive development of equipment, human resources, quality control system, training and marketing, thereby expanding the extent of participation in the state's plans for comprehensive development. During the meeting, Minister Assar also reviewed the efforts made by the ministry to co-operate with other government ministries, governorates and state departments in various sectors. The aim of such co-operation, Minister Assar went on, is to ensure the optimum utilisation of national resources and assist state institutions in the achievement of the development goals. The Military Production Ministry, Dr Assar emphasised, is keen on offering the best services with the most up-to-date standards to citizens. Dr Assar then presented a report to President Sisi on the areas of co-operation between the ministry and some other countries such as Iraq, Russia, Germany and China, the presidency spokesman said in his statement. Co-operation with foreign countries, Minister Assar said, leads to the exchange of expertise between the personnel of military production industries and the staffs of world companies. Furthermore, such co-operation makes it possible for military production companies to market their products abroad, consequently increasing the country's foreign currency revenues and boosting the volume of exports.
