Egypt's massive infrastructure investments over the past decade have been crucial in attracting $11bn in foreign direct investment to the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE), Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said on Sunday. During his tour of Suez governorate, he inaugurated projects in energy, health, and education. He emphasized that these initiatives enabled over 340 industrial and logistical projects, creating 80,000 jobs.
During his day-long tour of Suez governorate on October 26, 2025, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly highlighted the role of infrastructure projects in attracting foreign investments. Speaking at the end of the tour, he stated that without these initiatives, the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE) could not have drawn investments for over 340 industrial and logistical projects, providing 80,000 jobs. “This is state-building, this is how countries are built, this is the way of development,” Madbouly said in televised remarks.
He visited the DP World logistics zone, accompanied by Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, chairman and CEO of the Dubai-based ports operator. Madbouly quoted bin Sulayem as saying that Egypt's infrastructure development over the last ten years surpasses what was achieved in the previous 50 years. He added that the number of factories in SCZONE has grown from 43 about three and a half years ago to 180 today, with another 120 under construction. “Without this large expenditure on infrastructure, we would not have attracted international groups and companies to come, compete, and race to establish factories here,” he affirmed.
The tour began with inaugurating a major project at Misr Petroleum Company, which will increase Egypt’s production capacity for various petroleum products and reduce import reliance. He then visited a women’s and children’s health hospital as part of the new universal health insurance system. “All governorates that have joined the system are receiving the highest level of service at a completely symbolic cost,” Madbouly said, stressing the state's commitment to accelerating its nationwide rollout.
It included a surprise visit to a primary school and the new Suez National University, which opened this year to 1,600 students. Madbouly noted the significant expansion of higher education, with universities increasing from 50 to 132 over the past decade under President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's leadership. “This is a response to what is always said about health and education,” he remarked, affirming that these areas require huge investments but promise long-term returns.
Madbouly also mentioned presidential directives to advance development projects in Suez to align with the national drive, accompanied by the ministers of health, higher education, local development, and petroleum. The visit aimed to monitor progress on prioritized projects, ensuring tangible improvements in services for citizens.