Mohamed El-Shimy, Egypt’s Minister of the Public Enterprises Sector, led a high-level delegation to the 17th US-Africa Business Summit held in Luanda, Angola, from June 22 to 25, reinforcing Cairo’s drive to strengthen economic cooperation with African nations. Accompanied by Nevine El-Husseiny, Egypt’s Ambassador to Angola, El-Shimy represented Egypt in a series of strategic bilateral meetings aimed at deepening regional ties across multiple sectors.
One of the most notable engagements took place with Angola’s Vice President Esperança da Costa. During the discussion, both parties emphasized the depth of historic relations between Egypt and Angola, reaffirming their mutual interest in expanding cooperation in sectors deemed essential for sustainable development. The two leaders also acknowledged the summit’s growing importance as a space for open dialogue between African governments and the private sector. This year’s summit holds added significance, coinciding with Angola’s presidency of the African Union and its celebration of 50 years of independence.
Beyond the high-level meeting with Angola’s vice president, El-Shimy conducted a series of consultations with ministers and senior officials from across the continent. In Angola, he met Rui de Oliveira, Minister of Industry and Trade; Isaac Francisco, Minister of Agriculture; and Sílvia Paula, Minister of Health. He also held talks with Armando Manuel, head of Angola’s Sovereign Wealth Fund. These discussions centered on aligning mutual priorities, particularly in areas of investment, agro-industrial collaboration, health sector development, and economic diversification.
El-Shimy’s outreach extended beyond Angola. He held talks with Julien Paluku, Minister of Trade for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to discuss mechanisms for boosting intra-African trade. With Karim Zaidan, Morocco’s Minister of Investment, the dialogue focused on encouraging joint investment opportunities, while his meeting with Algeria’s Minister of Energy, Mohamed Arkab, touched on collaboration in energy infrastructure and technology transfer.
Throughout these meetings, El-Shimy highlighted the strategic importance of fostering stronger economic connections among African nations. He underscored Egypt’s vision, under President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s leadership, of a united Africa propelled by equitable development and mutually beneficial partnerships. He noted that the Ministry of Public Enterprises Sector has adopted a proactive approach to engagement with African peers, especially in sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, and renewable energy.
El-Shimy further stressed Egypt’s goal to open new markets for Egyptian companies across the continent. These initiatives are part of a broader national strategy to promote regional industrial integration, enable the flow of technological expertise, and facilitate the establishment of joint ventures with both public institutions and private enterprises in African countries.
Wrapping up his participation, El-Shimy emphasized the summit’s value as a critical platform for direct and results-oriented engagement between government leaders and private sector stakeholders. He reiterated Egypt’s readiness to pursue collaborative ventures that not only support national growth but also contribute to Africa’s shared development agenda.