Cairo: Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Hussein Eissa expressed the government's aspiration to increase the volume of Italian investments in Egypt and capitalize on the country's strategic location and promising market, which serves as a key gateway to Arab and African markets.

According to State Information Service Egypt, Eissa emphasized the Egyptian government's commitment to providing all forms of support and facilitation to foreign investors. He highlighted ongoing efforts to enhance the competitiveness and attractiveness of the investment climate, aligning with international best practices and strengthening mutual confidence with major global financial institutions.

Eissa made these remarks during a meeting with a delegation from Intesa Sanpaolo Group, Italy's largest banking group and one of Europe's leading banking institutions. The meeting included the participation of Mohamed Farid, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, and Ahmed Kouchouk, Minister of Finance, who joined via videoconference.

The delegation featured Paola Babanicolau, Head of International Banks at Intesa Sanpaolo Group; Paolo Vivona, CEO and Managing Director of AlexBank, a subsidiary of the group; and Ziad Bahaa El-Din, former Deputy Prime Minister and Non-Executive Chairman of AlexBank. Eissa welcomed the delegation, underscoring the strength and depth of the longstanding bilateral relations between Egypt and Italy, and reaffirmed the Egyptian government's commitment to enhancing economic partnerships across various trade and investment fields.

Delegation members expressed the group's growing interest in the Egyptian market and its desire to expand its presence, particularly in light of Egypt's economic reforms. They affirmed that Egypt represents a strategic market and a key hub for strengthening economic cooperation between Italy and both Africa and the Middle East, contributing to attracting further Italian investments to Egypt.

At the meeting's conclusion, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing frameworks for joint cooperation and exploring ways to support the existing partnership, contributing to expanding banking and financial cooperation between Egypt and Italy.