Ashraf AboArafe
On Saturday, February 17, Mr. Sameh Shoukry met with Mr. Florian Herrmann, State Minister of the German State of Bavaria for Federal Affairs and Information, and Head of the State Chancellery, on the sidelines of his participation in the sixtieth session of the Munich Security Conference, which the state is hosting in Munich.
Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid, the official spokesman and director of the Public Diplomacy Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that the meeting extensively discussed ways to enhance trade and investment cooperation between Egypt and the state of Bavaria, as Minister Shukry was keen to stress the importance that Egypt attaches to enhancing cooperation with the state because it represents a center of wealth and manufacturing. In the European Union, in addition to Egypt being one of the state’s most important trading partners in Africa and the Middle East.
The Foreign Ministry spokesman explained that the two sides discussed during the meeting a number of joint cooperation proposals, as Minister Shukri conveyed Egypt’s interest in enhancing cooperation with the state’s companies in various specialized industries such as the automobile, communications and technology industries, as well as the fields of artificial intelligence and the transfer of German experience in the field of supporting emerging companies. . He also reviewed the opportunities for cooperation in the field of energy as it is one of the promising economic fields in Egypt, pointing to the vast potential that Egypt possesses in this field, and its status as a regional center for the trading, production and distribution of energy, whether at the level of liquefied gas or green hydrogen.
In the same context, the Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed Egypt’s interest in attracting major industrial companies in the state to invest in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, pointing to the logistical capabilities it offers that attract investment, as well as the advantages that Egypt provides to foreign investors in light of its membership in many economic blocs. He also noted the existence of a promising opportunity for cooperation in facilitating the organized transfer of trained Egyptian workers to the state.
For his part, Mr. Florian Hermann welcomed Minister Sameh Shoukry’s visit to the state, expressing his aspiration to enhance cooperation with Egypt in various fields of industry, explore more investment opportunities in Egypt, and learn about the advantages that Egypt gives to foreign investments to enter the Egyptian market.
Ambassador Ahmed Abu Zeid concluded his statements, noting that the meeting also witnessed the exchange of visions and assessments on the developments of the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip, as Minister Shukri was keen to inform Mr. Herman of the determinants of the Egyptian position regarding dealing with this crisis and the efforts made at various levels to reach a halt. Opening fire, enhancing the access of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, and preventing the conflict from expanding, are efforts that were appreciated by the German Minister of State, praising Egypt’s regional role as a pillar of stability in the region.
