Results of INNOPROM. Big Industrial Week in Cairo
On October 8-10, 2019, Cairo hosted the Big Industrial Week International Industrial and Technology Trade Fair and Forum.
The 5,000 square meters of exhibition space accommodated exhibits of companies from Russia, Egypt, Belarus, France, Germany and India. The exhibitors represented principally such sectors as transport engineering, nuclear power, advanced agricultural technology, and power generation equipment. More than 5,000 heads of businesses from Egypt and African countries visited the exhibition.
More than 100 major industrial enterprises, such as Rosatom State Corporation, NPO Almaz, Lazernyi Сentr, MetProm, Syntez NDT, HIMMASH-APPARAT, participated in the event as exhibitors. The financial sector was represented by some of its leaders - African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) and Egypt's largest private bank CIB Bank.
The Arab Organization for Industrialization prepared a joint stand of several exhibiting companies. They include the Aircraft Factory, SAKR Factory for Development Industries, Helwan Factory for Development Industries, Kader Factory for Development Industries, and others. Egypt's Ministry of Defence and Military Production showcased at the exhibition civilian products of the following organizations: Helwan Machinery and Equipment co., Kaha co. for Chemicals Industries, Shoubra co. for Engineering Industries, etc.
Visitors had the opportunity to see joint exhibits of more than 10 regions of the Russian Federation: Sverdlovsk Region, Republic of Bashkortostan, Udmurt Republic, Chuvash Republic, Rostov Region, Chelyabinsk Region, Kaluga Region, Tver Region, and Krasnodar Krai.
The event was supported by representatives of such international associations as the German-Arab Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK), Chambers of Commerce of France, Germany, and India. They presented their stands at the exhibition, moreover, the event was visited by delegates of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO).
Guests of honor of INNOPROM.BIW comprised Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov, Minister of Trade and Industry of the Arab Republic of Egypt Amr Nassar, Minister of Military Industry of Egypt Mohammed al-Assar, Member of the Board – Minister of Eurasian Economic Commission in charge of Industry and Agriculture Alexander Subbotin, Minister of Economy of the Republic of Armenia Tigran Khachatryan, Minister of Industry of the Republic of Belarus Pavel Utiupin, Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan Beibut Atamkulov, Chairman of the State Committee for Industry, Energy and Mineral Resources of the Kyrgyz Republic Emil Osmonbetov, Chairman of the Federation of Egyptian Industries Mohamed Zaki El Sewedy, Chairman of the Arab Organization for Industrialization Abdel Moneam Al Taras, and others.
On October 9 a meeting of the Eurasian Economic Union's Industrial Policy Council was held at the INNOPROM.BIW. One of the key issues of this meeting was the development by the EEU member states of a shared industrial infrastructure in third countries.
The main plenary session "Africa. Advanced Manufacturing Site" became the key event of the exhibition's business program. This session's speakers comprised Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov, Minister of Trade and Industry of the Arab Republic of Egypt Amr Nassar, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank Benedict Oramah, Chairman of the Board of the Federation of Egyptian Industries Mohamed El Sewedy, President of the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce Ibrahim Al Araby, CEO of Siemens Egypt Emad Ghaly, President of the Russian Federation's Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sergey Katyrin.
Denis Manturov remarked: "Holding of such a large-scale and representative event confirms the growing significance and attention paid to cooperation between Russia and Africa today. This also emphasizes the mutual interest of Russian business and African states to promote large-scale, long-term projects together, to fill the agenda with promising economic initiatives."
During this session the speakers agreed on the outlooks of Russian-Egyptian trade relations. As of the end of 2018 the trade turnover has increased by 17%, surpassing the 20 billion dollars mark. Moreover, more than one third of trade between Russia and Africa corresponds to trade with Egypt.
On October 8–9, within the framework of the "Big Industrial Week" International Industrial and Technology Trade Fair and Forum, took place the second Forum for nuclear industry suppliers, organized by Rosatom State Corporation and Egypt's Nuclear Power Plants Authority (NPPA).
The "Invest in Africa: global experience and investment opportunities on the African continent" session brought together speakers from five countries. Moderator of the session was Dr. Alaa Ezz, Secretary General, Union of African Chambers. The debate about the outlooks for bringing investments to the African region was attended by Managing Director of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) Takashi Tsunemi, Managing Director of the German-Arab Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK) in Cairo Jan Notter, Head of the Egypt office of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Qaed Ebrahim, Director of Corporate Affairs at El Dabaa NPP (Rosatom State Corporation) Andrey Chubarov, President of the Arab-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Joao Nabai.
On October 10, the project of the Russian Industrial Zone in Egypt was presented to Russian and foreign businesses. Within the framework of the "Russian Industrial Zone: Entry Point to African Markets" session, Director of special projects of Russian Export Center JSC Ilya Pomigalov emphasized that "Egypt is part of a large number of trade agreements that offer the country favorable conditions for exports. The Russian Industrial Zone can become a platform not just for Russian companies' access to new African markets, but also for increasing Egyptian exports to Europe and Asia."
International Group of Companies "Lighting Technologies" signed at INNOPROM.BIW a strategic agreement of intent to participate in supplying equipment for equipping New Cairo's streets with LED lamps within the context of the "New Capital City" construction project. Huda Lighting, represented by its regional manager Mr. Nabil Al Azem, is the partner of Lighting Technologies. The project is estimated to cost over 10 million dollars and will be implemented in several stages. New Cairo's "New Capital City" is a large-scale project intended to transfer the capital from Cairo to a city specially built to act as a capital, closer to the Suez Canal, which is induced by overpopulation of this megacity, whose population currently numbers at 20 million inhabitants and is expected to double in the next 40 years.
Chelyabinsk Region's company Loza LLC concluded an agreement on cooperation with an Egyptian party to supply the Urals marble to Egypt.
The work of the Big Industrial Week was covered by more than 100 Russian and Egyptian media outlets.
In 2020, INNOPROM.BIW will be held in Cairo on October 10-12.
