Private Investment Share Rises to 65% of Total Investments in Egypt

Private investment now accounts for around 65% of total investments, up from previous averages of between 40% and 45%, according to Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Mohamed Farid Saleh.

Speaking during the launch of the Alam El Roum investment zone on the North Coast, Farid said private-sector investments exceeded EGP 1 trillion last year. He attributed the increase to coordination between ministries and government bodies aimed at simplifying procedures and supporting private-sector activity.

Farid said investment zones are intended to speed up project launches by allowing licences and approvals to be processed through each zone’s board of directors and executive board, reducing the number of authorities investors need to deal with. The ministry is also expanding electronic services, automating procedures and using the golden licence system to accelerate investment activity.

Foreign direct investment reached around USD 15 billion excluding major deals, according to Farid’s estimates. He added that the private sector employs around 70% or more of the workforce.

Farid said sustaining annual economic growth of between 5.5% and 6.5% would require investment to reach around 25% of GDP, with a larger private-sector role in growth and job creation. The ministry is also working with the Ministry of Housing and other land-owning authorities to expand investment and free zones across the country.