Mohamed El-Argawy, head of the Importers' Committee at the General Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce, emphasized that implementing presidential directives from the 2026 Egypt Forum regarding productive investment, competitive industry, and sustainable job creation requires comprehensive government action. This action must go beyond announcing incentives and initiatives to create real change in the business environment and remove obstacles faced by investors and manufacturers.
El-Argawy noted that the recent government meeting to follow up on the implementation of the forum's outputs reflects the importance of moving to the practical implementation phase. However, the success of these targets depends on having a clear and specific timeline, distributing responsibilities among relevant ministries and entities, and setting measurable performance indicators to ensure tangible results on the ground.
El-Argawy stated that the government needs to reconsider the cost of practicing industrial and investment activities, especially since investors do not base their decisions solely on tax incentives. Instead, they consider the total project cost, from acquiring land and licenses to providing raw materials, production inputs, financing, energy, transportation, and customs clearance.
The customs file represents one of the main axes of the state's plan to attract investments and deepen local manufacturing, El-Argawy said, calling for accelerating the release of production inputs, raw materials, and industry components. He also suggested expanding the application of the risk management system, reducing repeated inspections of compliant shipments, and achieving electronic integration between customs and various regulatory bodies.
El-Argawy pointed out that stable customs policy and clear tariff and procedures are essential for investors, as any delay in releasing raw materials or unexpected changes in import costs directly affect the final product cost and the competitive ability of factories. He also stressed the need to review customs procedures related to feeder industries and production inputs to achieve a balance between protecting local industries and providing them with needed raw materials and components.
In the investment file, El-Argawy confirmed that launching a unified platform for economic entities and simplifying licensing procedures is an important step. However, it is crucial that this platform transforms into a real executive window that eliminates the multiplicity of entities and overlapping competencies, allowing investors to obtain approvals, licenses, and services through a clear and time-bound process.
El-Argawy concluded that the coming phase requires a real partnership between the government and the private sector, based on listening to the problems of investors, importers, and manufacturers, and utilizing their expertise when formulating economic decisions. The private sector does not demand exceptional advantages but needs a stable environment, clear procedures, and fair costs that allow it to compete and expand.
Key points
- Implementing presidential directives requires comprehensive government action to create real change in the business environment.
- Reforming the customs system is crucial to achieving investment and industry targets.
- A real partnership between the government and the private sector is necessary to address economic challenges.
