Egypt’s Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Hassan El-Khatib inaugurated the Egypt-Qatar Business Forum to strengthen economic ties between the two nations. The event featured the signing of a $200m Qatari investment deal for a sustainable aviation fuel plant in the Suez Canal Economic Zone. This reflects the rapid growth in bilateral trade, highlighting deepening cooperation between Cairo and Doha.
Hassan El-Khatib, Egypt’s Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, inaugurated the Egypt-Qatar Business Forum in Cairo on December 14, 2025, to bolster economic, trade, and investment relations between the two countries. The forum was attended by Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Sayed, Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade, along with a Qatari official delegation and prominent business leaders from both nations.
El-Khatib stated that Egypt-Qatar relations are founded on solid pillars of trust and cooperation, noting that Qatari investments in Egypt total around $3.2bn across more than 266 companies in sectors including finance, industry, tourism, and services. He highlighted the swift rise in bilateral trade, from $80m in 2023 to $143m in the first ten months of 2025, an increase of nearly 80%, signaling expanding economic collaboration.
Coinciding with the forum, Qatar’s Al Mana Holding signed a $200m contract for a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production plant in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE), marking the first Qatari industrial investment there. The project, to be executed by the newly formed “Saf Fly Limited,” will produce 200,000 tonnes annually of SAF, BioPropane, and Bio Naphtha from refined used cooking oil. Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly witnessed the signing in the New Administrative Capital, praising it for advancing renewable energy adoption and reducing harmful emissions by 50-80% compared to traditional fuels.
El-Khatib emphasized Egypt’s investment appeal, including its strategic location, skilled and cost-competitive workforce, and ongoing structural reforms like digital platforms for licensing. A specialized committee has been established to ease investment and trade procedures for Qatari firms in Egypt. He urged business leaders to leverage the forum for strategic partnerships in areas such as automotive components, textiles, energy, and renewables.
