Egypt is stepping up efforts to position itself as a gateway to Africa’s fast-growing consumer market, urging South Korean companies to establish a dedicated industrial zone along the Suez Canal and use the country as a manufacturing base for exports across Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Latin America.
Speaking in Seoul during a visit for the Korea-Africa Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said Cairo wants to transform its strong diplomatic relationship with South Korea into deeper trade, industrial, and investment partnerships.
The proposal comes as African countries intensify efforts to attract manufacturing investment and secure a larger share of global supply chains amid shifting trade patterns and growing demand for industrialisation across the continent.
“We would like to further enhance our cooperation with South Korea. What we need to do more is in the economic and trade areas,” Abdelatty told reporters at the Egyptian Embassy in Seoul.
At the centre of Egypt’s pitch is the Suez Canal Economic Zone, a strategic industrial and logistics corridor located along one of the world’s most important shipping routes. Cairo is now seeking to replicate its success in attracting Chinese manufacturers by encouraging Korean firms to establish a dedicated industrial cluster in the area.
