The meeting follows plans made back in May, when a government goal was set of doubling the private sector’s share of the Egyptian economy.
Companies like CMA CGM, CK Hutchison, AD Ports and Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd and Eurogate are already involved in port projects in the country, and it has been suggested some of the above may be tempted to acquire 7 seaports in line for privatisation.
According to ahramonline, on Sunday Madbouly “reiterated Egypt’s interest in partnering with the private sector on transport initiatives” and also stressed that they are “best placed” to operate maritime ports or dry ports.
Arab News adds that Egypt Prime Minister also highlighted the country’s strategic location as a central hub in the Middle East and a gateway to Africa.
It is said that companies from Germany, China, Russia, Hungary and the UAE all attended Sunday’s meeting, as did delegates from France, the US, Denmark, Austria and Spain.
The move towards privatisation also comes at a time when the European Union’s ETS rules are about to come into place. According to some EU member states, the rules could offer competitive advantages to North African ports, such as those in Egypt.
Photo: Alec Wilson from Khon Kaen, Thailand, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons