SCZone Showcases Infrastructure Success at TICAD 9 in Tokyo
In its inaugural participation at the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), the General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE) highlighted its infrastructure development model as a replicable success story for Africa.
Waleid Gamal El-Dien, Chairman of SCZONE, served as a keynote speaker in a high-level panel discussion hosted by the OECD in collaboration with the African Union, focusing on infrastructure and productive transformation.
The session, moderated by Setsuko Saya, Deputy Director of the OECD Development Centre, featured prominent speakers from international institutions including the JICA, Southbridge Investments, and Shimizu Corporation.
During his speech, Gamal El-Dien presented SCZONE as a tangible example of how comprehensive infrastructure investment can reduce business risks, attract foreign direct investment, and support supply chain integration. He noted that Egypt has injected significant public funds into infrastructure projects across SCZONE since its establishment a decade ago, creating a globally competitive environment tailored to the needs of industrial, logistical, and service sectors.
'The infrastructure readiness across our economic zone—from energy and water facilities to digital communication networks and internal roads—has proven to be a decisive factor in drawing international investors,' Gamal El-Dien stated.
He emphasized SCZONE's strategic positioning and access to international markets via six ports on the Mediterranean and Red Sea, which are currently undergoing expansion and modernization. These include the construction of multi-purpose terminals, cold storage facilities, and grain silos, in partnership with world-class port operators and shipping lines.
On the sidelines of the conference, SCZONE held a roundtable with eight Japanese firms exploring investment opportunities in Egypt. The companies represented a range of sectors from infrastructure and heavy machinery to logistics and consulting, including: Nippon Signal (rail signaling systems), JOIN (infrastructure investment fund), Deloitte Tohmatsu, Compasspoint, PADECO, Qunie Corp, and Sakai Heavy Industries, as well as Taitan Capital.
Gamal El-Dien showcased investment opportunities within SCZONE's 21 priority sectors, such as green fuel, automotive, pharmaceuticals, metals, data centers, and associated industries. He also outlined SCZONE's competitive advantages: availability of skilled labor, diversified energy sources, integrated logistics, and a fully digitalized one-stop-shop for investor services.
In alignment with the upcoming OECD Africa Development Dynamics 2025 Report, which focuses on infrastructure and economic transformation, Gamal El-Dien asserted that the SCZONE model could serve as a replicable framework across the African continent.
'Our experience demonstrates how infrastructure readiness and strategic planning can fast-track industrial growth, ensure market access, and support sustainable development goals across Africa,' he concluded.
TICAD 9 marks a significant step for SCZONE in strengthening international partnerships, particularly with Japan, and positioning itself as a key industrial and logistics hub not just for Egypt, but for the broader African region.
read more
CBE: Deposits in Local Currency Hit EGP 5.25 Trillion
Morocco Plans to Spend $1 Billion to Mitigate Drought Effect
Gov't Approves Final Version of State Ownership Policy Document
Egypt's Economy Expected to Grow 5% by the end of 2022/23- Minister
Qatar Agrees to Supply Germany with LNG for 15 Years
Business
Oil Prices Descend amid Anticipation of Additional US Strategic Petroleum Reserves
Business
Suez Canal Records $704 Million, Historically Highest Monthly Revenue
Business
Egypt's Stock Exchange Earns EGP 4.9 Billion on Tuesday
Business
Wheat delivery season commences on April 15
Videos & Features
Story behind Trending Jessica Radcliffe Death Video
News
Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters
Arts & Culture
"Jurassic World Rebirth" Gets Streaming Date
News
China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier
News
Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia
Business
Egyptian Pound Undervalued by 30%, Says Goldman Sachs
Videos & Features
Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall
Arts & Culture
South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle
Lifestyle
Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt
News
The Jessica Radcliffe Orca Attack? 100% Fake and AI-Generated
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al-Ahram Weekly
7 hours ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Tokyo conference brings Africa and world leaders together at TICAD 9 - Africa
The ninth edition of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), held from 20 to 22 August in Yokohama, Japan, brought together 53 African countries, the United Nations, the World Bank, and international organizations. Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly represented Egypt at the conference to strengthen ties between Japan and Africa The conference's theme, "Toward a Future Built by African and Japanese Youth Together," fostered dialogue and cooperation for the Youth Agenda 2055. Dr. Sally Farid, a renowned economist and head of the Department of Politics and Economics at Cairo University's Faculty of African Studies, emphasized that TICAD's goal was to promote commercial investment and economic cooperation, rather than just providing developmental aid. According to Dr. Farid, Japan had pledged $32 billion in aid to Africa, with Kenya receiving $4.5 billion. The logo for the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) features a blue-green colour palette, symbolizing lush growth and the connection between Yokohama and Africa. Designed by student Natsumi Watanabe, the logo incorporates the continent's shape into the letter "9," creating a memorable and impactful design. The emerald green colour is a combination of Yokohama's sea blue and the green found in some African national flags, representing majestic growth. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Japan remained committed to its investment goals in Africa. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has recently pledged $30 billion for investment in Africa over three years. The conference highlighted several key areas of cooperation between Japan and Africa, including infrastructure development, agriculture, healthcare, renewable energy, and manufacturing. Japanese companies had a competitive edge in digital investment and innovation, making them an attractive model for African startups. Farid said. As the conference progressed, it became clear that the relationship between Japan and Africa was poised for growth. With its soft power and lack of colonial history on the continent, Japan was well-positioned to strengthen its ties with Africa. The future looked bright for Africa-Japan cooperation, and TICAD would continue to play a vital role in promoting this partnership. As the conference came to a close, participants left with a renewed sense of purpose and a commitment to building a brighter future for Africa and Japan. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Al-Ahram Weekly
7 hours ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Egypt boost economic relations with Japan at TICAD 9 - Economy
Egypt and Japan boosted ties at the TICAD 9 Summit in Yokohama, focusing on new investment opportunities and economic cooperation. According to a cabinet statement on Thursday, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly met with Japan's Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Tourism and Transport, Hiromasa Nakano, on the sidelines of the TICAD 9 Summit, running until 22 August. During their meeting, the Prime Minister invited Japan to establish a Japanese industrial zone in Egypt, noting that Japan could benefit from Egypt's membership in several trade agreements and blocs. He further explained that Egypt aims to attract industries such as the automotive industry and all fields related to seawater desalination, given Egypt's pressing water needs. In this context, Madbouly stressed Egypt's strong desire to localize desalination technology and also emphasized Egypt's ambition to produce more green energy. The Prime Minister also highlighted the ongoing cooperation with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on the construction of the fourth metro line. Established in 2003, JICA is Japan's official development agency, working to promote international cooperation and support the socioeconomic development and stability of developing regions. Egypt and Japan have been implementing the first phase of the fourth metro line through concessional loans from JICA. In 2023, Japan provided funding worth 100 billion yen (around $733 million) in the third tranche to finance the project, which is scheduled to begin operation in February 2028. For his part, Minister Nakano expressed his aspiration to sign an MOU between the two sides to support joint cooperation, and confirmed his anticipation of coordinating Egypt's participation in the International Horticultural Exhibition, which will be held in Yokohama in 2027. The exhibition promotes global horticulture and landscaping while driving greener living, economic growth, and solutions to social challenges. According to a separate cabinet statement, Madbouly also met with Toshimitsu Imai, President and CEO of Toyota Tsusho Group, inviting the company to invest in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) and benefit from its incentives, noting that Egypt's membership in multiple global trade blocs would facilitate wider market access for its products. On Tuesday, during the Egypt-Japan Investment Forum in Tokyo, the two countries signed 12 agreements and MOUs on education, renewable energy, industrial development, green economy, tourism, and technology to strengthen bilateral investment and trade ties. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
See - Sada Elbalad
7 hours ago
- See - Sada Elbalad
Addis Ababa to Host 2nd Africa-CARICOM Summit in September 2025
H-Tayea The African Union Commission (AUC) is set to host the 2nd Africa-CARICOM Summit from September 6–7, 2025, at its headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The highly anticipated gathering will bring together Heads of State and Government from the African Union (AU) and CARICOM member states, alongside leaders from global institutions, to strengthen transcontinental cooperation under the theme: The summit will run daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (EAT) and is expected to attract a wide range of high-level participants. These include the UN Secretary-General, Presidents of the World Bank and IMF, heads of the African and Caribbean Development Banks, as well as executive leaders from UNEP, UN-Habitat, AfreximBank, UNESCO, and other international organizations. Representatives of civil society, academia, and diaspora organizations will also take part. Objectives of the Summit Building on the inaugural Africa-CARICOM Summit held in Nairobi in 2021, this year's meeting will: - Reaffirm and elevate political and diplomatic cooperation between Africa and CARICOM. - Adopt a Joint Communiqué* to articulate shared development priorities and global policy positions. - Foster dialogue on critical thematic areas, including trade, investment, transport, and technical cooperation. - Strengthen institutional frameworks for long-term collaboration. - Showcase the cultural, historical, and economic linkages that unite Africa and the Caribbean. The 2025 Summit coincides with the AU's Theme of the Year: 'Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations.' This decision by the AU Assembly underscores Africa's growing commitment to building a strong common front with CARICOM and the global African diaspora in pursuit of reparations and reparatory justice. The framework for cooperation is rooted in earlier AU decisions, including the establishment of an African-Caribbean Joint Mechanism on Reparative Justice, first proposed during the 2012 Global African Diaspora Summit. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid Videos & Features Story behind Trending Jessica Radcliffe Death Video News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters Arts & Culture "Jurassic World Rebirth" Gets Streaming Date News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia Business Egyptian Pound Undervalued by 30%, Says Goldman Sachs Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Arts & Culture South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt News The Jessica Radcliffe Orca Attack? 100% Fake and AI-Generated
