Cairo: Minister of Planning and Economic Development Ahmed Rostom asserted that Egypt is moving forward toward a more diversified, innovative, and export-oriented economy, with tradable sectors and deeper integration into regional value chains among its top priorities. He made the remarks during his participation in a high-level seminar titled 'Policy Dialogue on Cluster-Based Innovation and Regional Value Chains,' organized by the Economic Research Forum (ERF) and the Euro-Mediterranean Forum of Economic Institutes (FEMISE), in partnership with the ANIMA Investment Network.

According to State Information Service Egypt, the seminar focused on Euro-Mediterranean industrial cluster policies and was attended by a group of policymakers and industrial-sector leaders from the Levant and Europe. Rostom said the Egyptian economy has numerous advantages that qualify it to strengthen its role as a regional hub for production, innovation, and services, linking Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

He explained that the government is seeking to capitalize on the country's strategic location, human capital, and advanced infrastructure to create the necessary conditions for attracting high-quality investment, enhancing industrial competitiveness, and expanding Egyptian companies' access to regional and global markets.

Rostom reviewed the evolution of Egypt's economic growth rates in recent years, which have seen an increasing contribution from the non-oil manufacturing sector amid government measures to expand industrial clusters, encourage foreign investment, and cooperate with major global companies to localize various industries.

He noted that these measures are continuing with the aim of achieving an economic transformation focused on increasing production and exports, so that they become the largest contributors to the structure of economic growth.