MALABO, Guinea: Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf praised Egyptian investment in Equatorial Guinea. Guinean President Teodoro Obiang Njima expressed his appreciation and admiration for Egyptian investment in Guinea as well. Njima praised the Egyptian community in Guinea and described them as disciplined. He said Egyptians in Guinea respect laws and rules. The Guinean president offered the people's and government's respect to Egyptians. The statements came as Sharaf participated in the two-day African Summit in Guinea. He also visited the Arab Contractors Company in Malabo before returning to Egypt. He checked some projects held by the company. The Egyptian community in Guinea welcomed Sharaf warmly. They held Egyptian flags and arranged Guinean folk dances. Sharaf thanked the Guinean President for his care toward the Egyptian community and companies in Guinea and for giving Egyptians chances to participate in Guinean development. Sharaf said the Arab Contractors Company is the perfect model of Egypt abroad, and the Guinean president said the company has successfully carried out projects which some international companies could not afford. Sharaf and Njima approved an increase in Egyptian investment in Guinea. Sharaf said Egypt aims to enhance development plans across Africa. Sharaf said 750 Egyptian engineers are employed with the Arab Contractors Company in Guinea, and that the company is hiring 1,200 Guinean workers. The company also offers special projects and voluntary healthcare. "The Arab Contractors Company has carried out many important projects in Guinea," said company chairman Ibrhim Mehlab. "These include the Malabo airport building, high way and Malabo circular road." The Arab Contractors Company in Gunea was established in 2003 by Egyptian-Gunian partnership. There are 1,407 Guinean workers and 738 Egyptian workers in the company.
