Egypt's President of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones, Dr. Mohamed Awad, has inspected the development and construction works at the Damietta General Free Zone. This move aligns with the directives of Dr. Mohamed Farid Saleh, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, to continuously develop and expand the free zone system. The inspection aimed to assess the progress of development and expansion projects in the existing nine free zones and the four new ones being established.
The four new free zones are being set up in the cities of El Tenth of Ramadan, New October, New Borg El Arab, and El Alamein. These zones are designed to provide an attractive environment for export-oriented investments. During his inspection, Dr. Awad was accompanied by Dr. Mohamed Farid Saleh, and they visited several companies operating in the Damietta General Free Zone. One of the companies visited was "Pure Life," which produces water filters, assembles sewage treatment plants, and manufactures masks and protective equipment.
The "Pure Life" company has an investment cost of $9.7 million and exports 80% of its annual production, which amounts to 2 million filter candles and 30 housings for desalination plants. Another company visited was the Turkish "DNM" factory for spinning, weaving, dyeing textiles, and ready-made clothing. The project has an investment cost of $141 million and covers an area of 150,000 square meters. The factory exports 100% of its production and provides job opportunities for 1,327 workers.
The Damietta General Free Zone oversees 27 projects, including 22 projects within the free zone and five projects under the private free zone system. These projects have a total investment of $1.7 billion and provide 4.3 thousand job opportunities. In 2025, the projects in the zone successfully exported goods worth $222 million. The investments in the zone are diverse, including industries such as textiles, clothing, woodworking, container handling, logistics services, and petroleum services.
The location of the Damietta General Free Zone near the Port of Damietta gives it a high competitive advantage in terms of cargo handling and import-export operations. Its proximity to the Port of Suez and the Suez Canal Economic Zone further enhances its strategic importance. The zone's development and expansion are part of Egypt's efforts to boost its investment climate and encourage export-oriented growth.
Dr. Mohamed Awad emphasized the continuation of the development and expansion process in the existing free zones, as well as the acceleration of construction and licensing in the new free zones. This move is aimed at meeting the growing demand for free zone services, which offer a conducive environment for investments targeting exports. The new free zones are expected to provide additional opportunities for investors and contribute to Egypt's economic growth.
The Egyptian government's efforts to develop and expand its free zones are part of a broader strategy to attract investments and promote economic growth. The country's investment authority is working to provide an attractive investment climate, and the development of new free zones is a key component of this strategy. With its strategic location and diverse industries, Egypt's free zones are poised to play a significant role in the country's economic development.
Key points
- Egypt's investment authority is accelerating the establishment of four new free zones to meet growing demand for export-oriented investments.
- The new free zones are being established in the cities of El Tenth of Ramadan, New October, New Borg El Arab, and El Alamein.
- The Damietta General Free Zone has a total investment of $1.7 billion and provides 4.3 thousand job opportunities.
