press conference, which was held at the headquarters of the Nigerian Embassy in Cairo, were concluded yesterday in Cairo, in the presence of the Nigerian Ambassador, Naura Aya Remy, and Dr. Yousrey Elsharkawi, chairman of the Egyptian-African Businessmen Association. The new administrative capital will be held next May from 22-25. The conference will be held under the title (The Forum and the First Egyptian-Nigerian Economic Conference), and the conference will carry a different vision from the perspective of the private sector.
The conference aims to support and enhance joint cooperation in the private sector between the two countries, search for opportunities and strategic export trade and investment horizons between the two parties, and support African-African cooperation between the Egyptian-Nigerian relations and the rest of the African countries from the perspective of the private sector.
The conference was attended by a large number of media professionals, journalists, newspapers, magazines, websites, local, regional, Arab and international electronic newspapers, and many Egyptian satellite channels.
it discussed presenting opportunities and sectors that will participate in the next conference and forum next May. Arrangements to be held between the Egyptian and Nigerian sides were disclosed, whether at the governmental level or at the level of the private sector.
The conference is organized by the Egyptian-African Businessmen Association (EABA) and the Nigerian-Egyptian Association for Culture and Social Economy (NECSEF), with high-level government sponsorship from both sides and a large number of the financial and business community in the two countries.
the Nigerian Ambassador, Naura Aya Rimi, announced in Cairo that he is making intensive contacts with the Nigerian government, the Egyptian side, and at all levels so that the conference achieves its goals, stressing the support of the President of the Republic in Nigeria, and the support of the President of Egypt, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, for the joint cooperation between the two countries on all aspects. levels and levels.
He noted that the Nigerian Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Nigerian Export Development Center, and the agricultural projects support centers are scheduled to participate in the economic forum, pointing out that an exhibition will be held on the sidelines of the forum, explaining that the third day of the conference will be for bilateral meetings between businessmen of the two countries.
He explained that the conference is scheduled to be attended by 160 Nigerian businessmen in more than 13 economic sectors, such as mining, industry, real estate, construction, agriculture, health, energy, and water resources, noting that all of these sectors bear the interests of the financial and business community, and the Nigerian private sector community, stressing that what Egypt has achieved in the file of economic reform has attracted all businessmen from all countries.
The conference is set to bring together a number of government, African trade leaders, entrepreneurs, giants of African industry, representatives of trade organizations and top-tier African media.
He pointed out that the Egyptian-Nigerian cooperation in the private sector file is an extension of what was signed in the Arab Republic of Egypt in a joint cooperation agreement held between the Egyptian-African Businessmen Association headed by Dr. He is considered one of the most important Nigerian businessmen.
Mr. Bashir, the Commercial Attaché of the Embassy of Nigeria, pointed to the strong presence of the Egyptian economy in the Nigerian market and stressed the importance of economic cooperation between the two countries. He also praised the industrial, technical and human capabilities of both Egypt and Nigeria, and said, “It is time for us to enter a distinct and new phase of bilateral economic relations. and appropriately exploiting the economic potentials available in the two countries.
He added that the Egyptian-Nigerian relations have extended since the early 1960s, stressing that trade between Egypt and Nigeria has grown significantly, reaching $181 million last year. He added, “The two countries are trying to enhance joint cooperation as they are among the major economies of the continent.
Dr. Yousrey Elsharkawi, chairman of the Egyptian-African Businessmen Association, stressed that the upcoming economic conference next May is the first of joint cooperation with most African countries, noting that the association carries a distinguished copy of the elite of the Egyptian financial and business community, from the private sector in 22 committees, pointing out He pointed out that the members of the association are trying to re-discover the road to the African continent, and the serious attempts to enter the depth of the African continent, stressing that Nigeria is one of the most important countries and stations with which there must be fruitful and real cooperation, pointing out that Nigeria and Egypt have a population of up to Almost a third of the population of the African continent, explaining that the GDP of the two countries is more than 30% of the GDP of the countries of the continent, stressing that there are large and diverse markets between the two countries, and a region in Central West Africa, which is the distinguished Nigerian neighborhood region, explaining that all these Indicators must be taken into account, to support, enter and encourage the private sector.
Elsharkawi said that it is necessary to support the Egyptian-African Businessmen Association by entering the depth of the African continent, and urged Egyptian businessmen to unite and rapprochement in this entity so that we can address the African business community in most African countries in an organized, coordinated and well-formed manner, explaining the need to adopt the Egyptian media by highlighting such examples. These important conferences are scheduled to be held in the New Administrative Capital at Al Masa Hotel next May.
He added that the general atmosphere between the two countries at the present time has become available to increase the volume of trade exchange and achieve real investment, noting that the existence of a free trade agreement between the two countries, and the real desire of Egyptian and Nigerian businessmen will make a difference in the level of cooperation and achieve positive results during the coming period.
Elsharkawi explained that the upcoming forum came as a result of the signing of an agreement and a cooperation protocol between the Egyptian-African Businessmen Association and the Nigerian-Egyptian Association for Culture and Social Economy, headed by Hajj Mahmoud Ahmed, President of the Nigerian Gulf Chamber, stressing that the cooperation protocol was held in November 2021.
He indicated that it is scheduled to participate in the Great Economic Forum, next May, all friendly associations, all entities, business organizations and the business community, explaining that the invitation will be directed to the head of the Egyptian government, to sponsor this event, and to the Egyptian Minister of Trade and Industry, and to coordinate with all parties until We can unite the private sector in such an important conference, adding with the participation of more than 150 Egyptian businessmen, in front of their counterparts in the Nigerian society during their visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt so that we can come up with a good job worthy of the scale of the objective of this event.
Elsharkawi noted his hope that the next conference will come out next May with an unparalleled success, pointing out that the program of the Nigerian delegation will carry on the first day an expanded conference that will start with the opening words of the great government representation between the two countries, followed by several meetings to explain the trade and investment opportunities between the two countries, whether At the level of the government sector or the private sector, then an open discussion session with the symbols of the Egyptian-Nigerian business community, stressing that the second day will hold many bilateral meetings between the delegations of the two countries, and an exhibition of some Egyptian-Nigerian companies and products during the conference. The third is for the conference to make visits to some industrial zones in the Arab Republic of Egypt, some investment projects, and the economic zone of the Suez Canal so that the Nigerian side gets to know closely what Egypt has achieved in the economic zone project. From Nigeria, after we conveyed to them the initial preparations for this conference, through the Nigerian ambassador in Cairo and the media, about what is happening now to the land of Egypt, explaining that they want to see the dream that was realized in the ground inside the Al-Massa Hotel in the new administrative capital.
At the conclusion of the press conference, Dr. Yousrey Elsharkawi stressed that the investment conference will reveal many important points, and the attendees will be able to learn about the available African investment opportunities and the challenges of African trade, as well as communicate with the most prominent African businessmen and policy makers.
Elsharkawi stressed that the coming period will witness strong coordination between the two countries. To increase joint investments and strengthen trade and investment relations between Egypt and Nigeria, which confirms the achievement of the objectives of the Egyptian-African Businessmen Association, and its progress according to the drawn plan; To expand its role in promoting African economic activity.
