Cairo: Egypt's Minister of State for Military Production, Salah Soliman Gembalat, has underscored the significance of following President Abdel Fattah El Sisi's directives to expand collaborations with the international private sector and bolster partnerships with African nations to further the shared interests of the continent's people.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the minister's comments came during a meeting with Egypt's ambassador to Uganda, Sherif el-Gamal, held at the Ministry of Military Production's headquarters in the New Capital. The discussion focused on mutual interests and involved officials from the ministry and the National Organization for Military Production.
Gembalat extended his welcome to Gamal and congratulated him on his recent appointment as Egypt's ambassador to Uganda, wishing him success in his diplomatic role. The minister outlined key military and civilian products produced by military production companies, emphasizing the ministry's comprehensive system, which includes 15 industrial companies and four specialized entities, such as firms for information systems, construction, and maintenance, as well as a center for scientific and technological excellence.
He highlighted the ministry's advanced industrial and technological infrastructure, which consists of 260 production lines, numerous laboratories and testing centers, and approximately 980 CNC machines. These resources offer promising opportunities for industrial partnerships aimed at supplying production inputs and addressing the needs of the Ugandan market.
Gembalat emphasized Egypt's prioritization of African cooperation, noting the ministry's dedication to establishing new strategic partnerships to enhance relations between Egypt and Uganda. He also encouraged visits by Ugandan technical delegations to military production facilities to evaluate their technological and manufacturing capabilities and explore potential areas of collaboration.
Ambassador Gamal commended the manufacturing, technological, and human resources of the Ministry of Military Production's affiliated entities, as well as their role in providing for Egypt's armed forces and police. He praised the ministry's utilization of surplus production capacity to produce civilian products and contribute to national and development projects, as well as its recent growth in exports.
Gamal expressed his intention to expand cooperation between Egypt and Uganda during his tenure in Kampala, aiming to increase opportunities for Egyptian products, particularly those from military production companies, to enter the Ugandan market. He is committed to overcoming challenges in a manner that benefits both countries and strengthens their longstanding ties.