Egypt, Dubai chambers discuss boosting joint investments

Mohamed Awad, CEO of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), and Mohamed Ali Rashed Lootah, CEO of Dubai Chambers, met on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, to discuss measures to boost economic and investment cooperation and to support partnerships between Egyptian and Emirati businesses. The meeting, attended by Manal Abdel Tawab, head of the Egyptian Trade Representation Office in the UAE, focused on activating institutional channels and identifying sectors for joint projects and investment flows.

"Dubai Chambers [play] a role in connecting businesses with global markets," Awad said, underscoring the potential to expand outreach from Dubai into Egypt. "There is potential to activate its Cairo office to promote investment opportunities in Egypt among Emirati companies and support those seeking to expand in the Egyptian market."

The discussion mapped practical opportunities for enhanced collaboration across multiple sectors. Awad and Lootah identified manufacturing, logistics, renewable energy, technology, tourism, real estate development, and supply-chain-related manufacturing and re-export as priority areas for new projects and partnerships. Participants framed the Cairo office activation as a concrete mechanism to showcase Egyptian investment projects directly to Emirati investors and to facilitate the entry and expansion of UAE firms into the Egyptian market.

• Participants: Mohamed Awad (GAFI), Mohamed Ali Rashed Lootah (Dubai Chambers), Manal Abdel Tawab (Head, Egyptian Trade Representation Office in the UAE).
• Date of meeting: Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
• Priority sectors highlighted: manufacturing, logistics, renewable energy, technology, tourism, real estate development, supply-chain-related manufacturing and re-export.

Lootah emphasized the importance of institutional coordination to translate talks into deals. "Continued coordination between Dubai Chambers and GAFI [is] important to promote investment opportunities and create new avenues for Egyptian-Emirati partnerships and joint projects," he said, stressing a sustained, structured engagement rather than one-off outreach.

Officials at the meeting outlined several practical pathways to deepen ties: using Dubai Chambers' global networks to channel Emirati capital into Egyptian projects; leveraging the Cairo office as a regional hub for investor services and matchmaking; and prioritizing projects that can jointly serve regional supply chains, such as re-export and logistics facilities.

The dialogue also signaled an intent to mobilize private-sector actors on both sides. By aligning the promotional capabilities of Dubai Chambers with GAFI’s regulatory and facilitation role in Egypt, the two institutions aim to reduce entry frictions for UAE companies while spotlighting Egyptian project pipelines that fit Emirati investors' strategic interests.

Looking ahead, the meeting set the stage for follow-up measures to operationalize the proposals discussed. Officials indicated that activating the Cairo office would be pursued as a near-term priority to accelerate investor engagement. Further coordination is expected between the two bodies to develop sector-specific roadmaps, identify quick-win projects in logistics and manufacturing, and design joint promotional activities to attract Emirati capital into targeted Egyptian initiatives.