Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Egypt reached nearly $10 billion at the start of 2025, marking a 20 % increase compared to the annual average of $8–10 billion over the past decade, according to Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, Hassan El-Khatib.

 He emphasized that this momentum reflects growing investor confidence, supported by ongoing reforms to strengthen the trade and investment climate.

In an exclusive interview with DMC, El-Khatib explained that trade remains a central pillar of Egypt’s economic strategy, closely linked to monetary and fiscal policies.

 He noted that reforms are designed to enhance competitiveness, remove trade barriers, and ultimately transform Egypt into a leading regional export hub.

Among the most significant achievements, Egypt has reduced customs clearance time from 16 days to 5.8 days, with plans to cut it further to just two days by year-end.

The ministry has also extended operating hours at ports and airports from 1,950 to 4,000 annually, a move that shortened procedures by around 10 days and saved the private sector and consumers an estimated $1.5 billion.

El-Khatib highlighted that reforms have already lowered the time and cost of customs clearance by 75 %, with the current process requiring coordination among 27 different entities.

A comprehensive plan is underway to simplify customs procedures, expand digitalization, and upgrade logistics infrastructure across ports, airports, and roads, while also offering incentives for exporters.

He concluded that Egypt’s core challenge is to accelerate structural reforms that enhance competitiveness.

Clear, long-term, and transparent policies, he stressed, will be essential for attracting further investment and enabling the private sector to lead economic growth.