Interview: Egypt gains development stimulus under BRI, says Egyptian ex-ambassador

This photo taken on Sept. 11, 2023 shows the construction site of Central Business District (CBD) project constructed by China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) in the new administrative capital, east of Cairo, Egypt. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

Egypt is keen on finding meeting points and consensus with the BRI while striving for Egypt Vision 2030, a national development plan till 2030, and has endeavored to explore cooperation opportunities and implement projects from this initiative, said a senior Egyptian ex-diplomat.

by Marwa Yahya

CAIRO, Sept. 26 (Xinhua) -- The strategic partnership between Egypt and China is currently "in best conditions" as the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has provided vigorous momentum to the development of Egypt, said a senior ex-diplomat.

"Ties of the two countries have taken a great leap forward, thanks to the deep understanding between their leaders and visions related to the regional situation in general," said Ali el-Hefny, Egypt's former deputy foreign minister and former ambassador to China, in a recent interview with Xinhua.

El-Hefny, also vice-chairman of the Cairo-based Egypt-China Friendship Association, said Egypt and China share a common understanding of issues regarding Africa, Arabs, and the Global South, and Egypt was among the first countries to join the BRI that benefits all Arab and African countries.

China has become a booming economic power, a leading world trade force, and "has achieved unprecedented accomplishments in fields of technology and artificial intelligence which could benefit Egypt," he said.

This photo taken on June 26, 2023 shows an exterior view of a workshop of Jushi Egypt in Suez, Egypt. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)

Egypt is keen on finding meeting points and consensus with the BRI while striving for Egypt Vision 2030, a national development plan till 2030, and has endeavored to explore cooperation opportunities and implement projects from this initiative, said the expert.

Egypt's Suez Canal Corridor and Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) are excellent examples of attracting Chinese investments, said el-Hefny, citing Jushi Egypt in the SCZone, a branch of China's fiberglass giant Jushi Group, which has played a key role in helping Egypt become a major fiberglass producer in the world.

Through the BRI, a series of infrastructure projects have been implemented in Eygpt, including the Central Business District in the new administrative capital, the residential skyscrapers in the coastal city of New Alamein, and the Benban solar plant in the southern province of Aswan, according to the former ambassador.

China has been one of the biggest contributors to the development of Egypt over the past decade, and has a lot of experience in green development and eco-friendly industrial transformation which are priorities for Egypt now, he said.

"For 40 years, China achieved a lot in development and modernization and offered a lot to developing countries, including Egypt. We really have benefited from the Chinese experience of modernization," he added.