• Al-Mashat: The Egyptian economy enjoys strong competitive advantages, and we look forward to greater Bulgarian investments in Egypt.
• Egypt is a gateway for Bulgarian exports to Arab and African markets.
• Major opportunities for partnership in industry, tourism, digital transformation, agriculture, and education.
• Our partnership with the European Union is a foundation for strengthening Egyptian–Bulgarian relations.
• Regular convening of the Business Forum to deepen private-sector cooperation between the two countries.
• Bulgarian Minister of Economy: Egypt is a key partner for Bulgaria in the Middle East.
• The convening of the committee reflects the two governments’ mutual commitment to advancing relations across all fields.
H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, and H.E. Mr. Peter Dilov, Minister of Economy and Industry of the Republic of Bulgaria, co-chaired the Egyptian–Bulgarian Joint Committee for Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation, held in the New Administrative Capital with the participation of the Bulgarian delegation and representatives from 17 Egyptian ministries and national entities.
The committee witnessed extensive discussions between both sides on areas of mutual cooperation and future opportunities, reflecting the shared commitment to strengthening relations and increasing trade exchange, which reached approximately USD 1 billion in 2024. Discussions also addressed opportunities for cooperation in tourism, culture, expanding joint investments, transport, industry, and other sectors.
During the committee’s proceedings, Dr. Rania Al-Mashat delivered a speech in which she emphasized the depth of relations between the two countries. She noted that Egypt was one of the first Arab nations to establish diplomatic relations with Bulgaria, and that 2026 marks 100 years of diplomatic ties—based on mutual respect and the pursuit of shared goals.
She highlighted that bilateral relations have gained significant momentum under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, noting that the historic visit of the Bulgarian President to Egypt in 2019 represented a key milestone in strengthening ties and expanding cooperation.
Dr. Al-Mashat added that trade and Bulgarian investments in Egypt reflect strong economic relations, but more work is needed to explore and capitalize on the extensive economic potential in both countries. She emphasized Egypt’s competitive advantages as a gateway to African and Arab markets through its wide network of free trade agreements, as well as its industrial and logistical zones—most notably the Suez Canal Economic Zone.
She reaffirmed Egypt’s ongoing efforts to improve the business environment and encourage foreign investment, while also highlighting Egypt’s strong ties with the European Union through a comprehensive strategic partnership, and its participation in the Global Gateway initiative. She noted that this opens new prospects for cooperation with Bulgaria, which is approaching accession to the Eurozone.
The Minister stressed Egypt’s interest in benefiting from Bulgaria’s comparative advantages—particularly its expertise in various industrial sectors—which supports Egypt’s efforts to localize industry. She also pointed to Bulgaria’s strategic location in Southeast Europe as a key enabler for expanding trade and accelerating joint investments.
For his part, the Bulgarian Minister of Economy affirmed that Egypt is a prominent partner for Bulgaria in the Middle East. He noted that the continuous development of relations and the rise in trade exchange reflect both sides’ determination to advance cooperation. He added that the convening of the committee demonstrates a shared commitment and strong political will from both governments to elevate the partnership to a new level—particularly in trade, investment, SMEs, energy, agriculture, environmental protection, education, and other sectors.
The committee also discussed cooperation in green transition efforts, Egypt’s leadership in promoting green investments, and the expansion of renewable energy projects.
The meeting saw participation from representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs; Investment and Foreign Trade; the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones; Industry and Transport; Communications and Information Technology; Civil Aviation; Electricity and Renewable Energy; Petroleum and Mineral Resources; Agriculture and Land Reclamation; Military Production; Tourism and Antiquities; Culture; Water Resources and Irrigation; Higher Education and Scientific Research; Environment; Youth and Sports; as well as the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency.