Visits to companies of successful programme participants in Cairo

Dialogue with former programme participants was the focus during the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action’s Deputy Head of Division of Partnering in Business with Germany Manuel Palz’s four-day trip to Cairo. The trip included a certificate handover ceremony, company visits and a reception with the Federal President – with Partnering in Business with Germany alumni showcasing the successful cooperation that has emerged from their participation in the programme.

24.09.2024

At the closing ceremony of the 2023 cohort, which took place together with the Egyptian Industrial Modernisation Centre (IMC) as an implementation partner, programme participants spoke about their successes.

Plastics producer Mohamed Ragab, following the stay in Germany, founded a production site for injection-moulded plastic parts with his company, RGBS. The company is now successfully exporting products “Made in Germany” to the Arab world.

iSiS Organic, run by Mohamed El Anwar, also benefitted from participating in the programme: Mr. Anwar had already taken part in “Biofach”, the world-leading German trade fair for organic food. But now, targeted B2B contacts and an improved customer pitch have enabled him to retain old customers with new contracts and to attract new customers.

24.09.2024

Certificate handover ceremony – here with entrepreneur Mohamed Anwer. The participants (from left): Ingy Aly (IMC), Jörg Schreiber (GIZ), Manuel Palz (BMWK), Mohamed El Anwar (iSiS Organic), Amal Ghazal (ITL Logistics Egypt), Mohamed Ismail (IMC) ©IMC

Manuel Palz emphasised that the stories of the 400 or so management-level staff who have taken part in the programme over ten years makes the cooperation in the programme lively and visible: “The past year has seen more intensive cooperation between Egypt and Germany: 60 participants, divided into four groups, took part in the programme, clearly reflecting its importance for bilateral cooperation.”Doaa Selima, CEO of IMC, welcomed the good collaboration with the German Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action: “I am extremely proud of the significant achievements made by the Partnering in Business with Germany Programme over the past 11 years. This programme has not only strengthened the trade relations between Egypt and Germany but has also contributed to driving Egypt’s economic growth by creating new opportunities in various sectors.”

Visit to pharmaceutical manufacturer Global Napi Pharmaceuticals ©IMC

Two company visits made clear that, in cooperation with German technology, high-quality products for the local and African market are being produced in Egypt.

Since taking part in the programme, Global Napi Pharmaceutical has purchased two packaging machines for blister packs from Uhlmann in Baden-Württemberg. German technology has helped the Egyptian company to package large amounts of local medical products and to sell these in the African market.

The Egyptian company archi touch is active in the furniture sector and is profiting from German CNC technology supplied by timber producer Holz-Her from Nürtingen in Baden-Württemberg, which has helped the Egyptian company to produce precise and high-quality pieces of furniture.

The participants (from left): Jörg Schreiber (GIZ), Doaa Selima (IMC), Ahmed Fathelbab (ElFateh Industries and Steel Constructions), Manuel Palz (BMWK), Frank-Walter Steinmeier (Federal President), Ahmed Naguib (SES Egypt), Muhammad Radwan (Oleo Misr), Odette Sadek (3Brothers for Lighting ), Amal Ghazal (ITL Logistics Egypt) © Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action/Andreas Rissmann

Meeting with Federal President Steinmeier

A small group of former graduates of the Partnering in Business with Germany programme met Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on 11 September at a reception in the German Embassy in Cairo.

Ahmed Fathelbab, CEO of the ElFateh steel company, has realised multiple projects with the Düsseldorf-based company Loesche GmbH, including the establishment of two cement factories in Rwanda and Liberia, following participation in the programme. By participating in the Partnering in Business with Germany programme, the Egyptian company was able to grow its exports from ten to 100 percent of its total revenue within five years. Together with an environmental engineer, Fathelbab has also founded Bidaya, which produces biofuel. This is one of the first factories in Egypt to produce bioethanol, and manufactures 5,000 tonnes of the fuel alternative yearly.

The development of another Egyptian company, 3Brothers for Lighting, by Odette Sadek has also been special. The company not only imports lighting technology from Germany, but also exports lighting technology back to Germany. After taking part in the programme, the company imported lighting technology from Germany via the companies bjb from Arnsberg in North Rhine-Westfalia and Vossloh-Schwabe from Schorndorf in Baden-Württemberg. 3Brothers is now exporting streetlights to Germany and has founded a German subsidiary.