CCBLA - Arab-Belgium-Luxemburg Chamber of Commerce - ABLCC

Economic Mission to the Arab Republic of Egypt

The Arab-Belgium-Luxemburg Chamber of Commerce participated in the economic mission headed by HRH Prince Philippe to the Arab Republic of Egypt from 24-28 May 2008.  The delegation, representing a diversified range of economic activities, visited Cairo and Alexandria and had intensive contacts during several official working sessions and B2B meetings in both cities, offering numerous opportunities to establish busienss relations or to reinforce existing partnerships.

The Egyptian authorities prepared an extensive program including a meeting between HRH Prince Philippe and accompanying Minister for Businesses Vincent Van Quickenborne with President Hosni Mubarak, a meeting between part of the delegation and the Egyptian Prime Minister Dr Ahmad Nazif and several working sessions with Ministers in charge of trade, industry, investment, transport and oil industry.  Other activities included visits to industrial sites such as "Oriental Weavers" and social gatherings.

Egypt launched a first ambitious reform programme in the early 1980s and the development plans implemented ever since led to innumerable achievements in all fields of economic activity. Egypt was thus capable to achieve a major economic take-off, placing the country firmly among the new world economic players and becoming the third largest economy in the Arab world.

In 2007, Belgian exports to Egypt amounted to €546.8 million, an increase by 16.2% compared to the previous year.  Imports from Egypt represented a total value of € 351.4 million, to be compared with €396.7 million in 2006.  Chemical products (27.9%° and machinery (21.3%) are the main item exported by Belgium and mineral products (24.2%) base metals (23.5%) and plastic materials (15.3) represent the major part of imports from Egypt.

The economic mission headed by HRH Prince Philippe to the Arab Republic of Egypt formed an excellent opportunity to highlight the possibilities to further reinforce these relations and to develop a genuine cooperation based on friendship and mutual understanding.