Egypt, Pakistan seek new investment partnerships in key industries

Egypt and Pakistan have agreed to deepen investment cooperation and explore joint ventures across several strategic industries, including textiles, ready-made garments, batteries, electric bicycles and mobile phones, following a meeting between Mohamed Awad, CEO of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Egypt, Aamir Shouket. The officials also committed to organising a business forum to bring together representatives from both countries to identify investment opportunities, address barriers and promote partnerships between established firms and startups.

"Egypt is committed to supporting Pakistani investments and removing obstacles facing them," Awad said, underlining Cairo's intent to facilitate new entrants and expand existing bilateral commercial ties. "Major Egyptian companies were interested in partnerships with Pakistani businesses in sectors where Pakistan has technological expertise, including textiles, garments, electric batteries and transport."

Details of the cooperation

The discussions focused on practical ways to translate political goodwill into projects. Both sides agreed to convene a forum that will gather business leaders, entrepreneurs and startup founders from Egypt and Pakistan to map investment prospects, discuss regulatory and logistical challenges, and forge collaborative structures.

• Target sectors named by officials include textiles and ready-made garments, batteries and electric bicycles, mobile-phone manufacturing, and transport-related industries.
• Pakistan expressed specific interest in transferring its full electric-bicycle production chain to Egypt, encompassing battery manufacturing, bicycle-frame production, operating software and battery recycling.
• Pakistani investments already present in Egypt are reported to be seeking expansion, with new projects under consideration in textiles and mobile-phone manufacturing, according to Ambassador Aamir Shouket.

Shouket also highlighted Pakistan’s desire to tap Egyptian experience beyond manufacturing. "Pakistan also sought to benefit from Egyptian expertise in tourism, real-estate development, infrastructure and agricultural investment," he said, framing the partnership as multidimensional rather than limited to industrial output. He added that partnerships with Egypt would enable Pakistani companies not only to serve the domestic Egyptian market but also to expand into other African countries under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Context and potential impact

The move reflects a mutual search for complementary strengths: Egypt offers market access into Africa and experience in sectors such as tourism and real-estate, while Pakistan brings manufacturing capabilities and technological know-how in textiles, batteries and electric mobility. Officials emphasised support measures and obstacle removal as priorities to catalyse investment flows and joint ventures, with a particular emphasis on enabling startups and entrepreneurs to participate.

While no timelines or funding figures were disclosed, the planned forum is intended to be the immediate next step to translate talks into concrete projects. Egyptian interest from major companies, coupled with Pakistan's intention to relocate or expand manufacturing lines—most notably in electric bicycles and mobile phones—could create new industrial clusters and jobs if regulatory, logistical and financing issues are resolved.

Outlook

Officials from both countries have signalled intent to follow up rapidly. The forum will serve as a platform to prioritise projects, identify partners and surface regulatory impediments that must be addressed. If the commitments yield memoranda of understanding and pilot projects, the partnership could accelerate industrial cooperation across the named sectors and open pathways for Pakistani manufacturers to access African markets through Egypt's gateway under AfCFTA provisions.