Written by: Mohammed Omran
Dr. Mohamed Farid, Minister Investment and Foreign TradeJean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Communications and Rural Development of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and his accompanying delegation, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade, on the sidelines of the official visit of President Felix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, to the Arab Republic of Egypt, and his meeting with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, and within the framework of the two countries’ keenness to strengthen the economic and investment partnership and explore new opportunities for cooperation between the business communities in Egypt and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Egypt and Congo discuss deepening joint investment and trade cooperation
Following the meeting, the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade held a high-level economic roundtable with the participation of a number of ministers, officials and representatives of the business community from both countries, including Alaa Farouk, Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Dr. Ahmed Rostom, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, and Eng. Khaled Hashem, Minister of Industry, in addition to the heads of the ministry’s affiliated bodies, the Congolese Federation of Enterprises, and a number of major Egyptian and Congolese companies.
The roundtable witnessed the participation of representatives of a number of major Egyptian companies and institutions, including Orascom Construction, Arab Contractors, Commercial International Bank (CIB), National Bank of Egypt, Elsewedy Electric Group, National Construction and Development Company, Arab Organization for Industrialization, and a number of companies operating in the industry, energy, infrastructure, financial services, agriculture and technology sectors.
Extensive consultations to strengthen economic partnerships and expand investment opportunities
Dr. Mohamed Farid, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, affirmed that the roundtable represents an important platform for enhancing economic cooperation between the two countries and moving bilateral relations to a deeper and more effective level, noting that the volume of trade exchange between the two countries reached about $461 million during 2025, which is still less than the economic potential available to both sides.
The minister pointed out that the two countries’ membership in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) represents an important platform to promote trade and investment between the two sides, and to benefit from the preferential advantages provided by the bloc, which supports increased access to goods, services and investments, and enhances economic integration between the two countries within the African continent.
The minister added that Egypt views economic cooperation with the Democratic Republic of Congo within a broader vision to enhance African economic integration and build more interconnected regional value chains, noting that the two countries have great opportunities for cooperation in the fields of manufacturing, energy, infrastructure, logistics and agriculture, which contributes to achieving sustainable development, creating job opportunities and increasing growth rates.
He added that the Egyptian state is keen to encourage the private sector to expand into African markets and take advantage of the promising opportunities that the continent offers, which will enhance economic and trade ties between African countries.
The minister explained that the Congolese market offers promising opportunities in the infrastructure, energy, agriculture, food industries, pharmaceuticals, mining and logistics sectors, stressing that Egyptian companies possess extensive experience and competitive capabilities that qualify them to participate in the implementation of major development projects within the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He added that the government continues to implement a comprehensive economic and investment reform program aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of the economy, improving the business environment, empowering the private sector, and increasing investments and exports, thereby consolidating Egypt’s position as a regional center for manufacturing, investment, and trade.
Dr. Farid pointed to the work on strengthening joint investments within the African continent in implementation of the directives of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, as the ministry is working in cooperation with the relevant ministries and authorities to launch an investment fund in Africa in partnership between the Egyptian sovereign wealth fund and the private sector, to support priority projects and promote economic development in sister African countries.
For his part, Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Communications and Rural Development of the Democratic Republic of Congo, affirmed that his country looks forward to building a long-term strategic economic partnership with Egypt, based on common interests and economic integration between the two countries.
He pointed out that the Democratic Republic of Congo has exceptional potential, including a market with a population of over 100 million, enormous natural resources, and great potential in the fields of energy, agriculture, mining and logistics, stressing that the Congolese government is working to implement economic and legislative reforms to improve the investment climate, enhance transparency and provide more guarantees and facilities for investors.
He added that his country seeks to transform from an economy that relies on exporting raw materials to an economy based on manufacturing and value addition, calling on Egyptian companies to take advantage of the investment opportunities available in the infrastructure, transportation, energy, agriculture, industry, housing, urban development and digital services sectors.
During the roundtable, Ms. Rachel Bongo, Director General of the National Agency for Investment Promotion in the Democratic Republic of Congo (ANAPI), reviewed the investment advantages of her country, noting that the Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the most promising investment destinations in Africa, given the economic reforms and continuous development of the legislative and regulatory framework governing investment.
She affirmed that the Congolese government is working to develop special economic zones, promote public-private partnerships, and provide investment incentives including tax exemptions and benefits for new projects, as well as providing full support to investors through the National Investment Promotion Agency.
The roundtable also featured a presentation by Dr. Mohamed Awad, CEO of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones, during which he reviewed the developments in the investment environment in Egypt, and the efforts made by the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade and the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones to simplify procedures, facilitate the establishment of companies and accelerate services provided to investors, in addition to addressing the system of investment incentives and systems supporting businesses, which include free zones, investment zones, special economic zones and the golden license.
He added that the Authority continues to implement the Ministry’s plan and Dr. Farid’s directives, specifically with regard to developing its digital services, expanding the scope of digital transformation in investment services, developing investor service centers, and simplifying procedures for establishing companies and obtaining the necessary licenses and approvals, which contributes to improving the investor experience and raising the efficiency of the services provided to them.
