Nairobi: President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with Chairman and CEO of the French CMA-CGM Group, Rodolphe Saad©, on the sidelines of the Africa-France Summit held in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

According to State Information Service Egypt, the President welcomed the ongoing investment cooperation between Egypt and CMA-CGM, one of the largest global players in container shipping and maritime transport. The meeting took place on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, with Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, Spokesman for the Presidency, highlighting the significance of this collaboration.

President El-Sisi acknowledged CMA-CGM’s contributions to various projects in Egypt’s maritime and dry ports sector, particularly emphasizing the company’s role in the establishment and operation of the ‘Red Sea Container Terminal’ at Port Sokhna, Egypt’s first semi-automated container terminal. He also expressed Egypt’s intent to expand the company’s operations and investments in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, taking advantage of new investment incentives and the advancements in Egypt’s maritime transport and infrastructure.

Mr. Saad© expressed appreciation for the opportunity to meet with President El-Sisi and reaffirmed CMA-CGM’s commitment to strengthening its presence in Egypt. He noted the strategic importance of Egypt’s location and the advancements in the country’s maritime transport and logistics services.

The meeting also addressed the impact of regional tensions on maritime navigation routes. President El-Sisi presented Egypt’s vision for the international maritime shipping community to collaborate in resolving bottlenecks and minimizing their impact on global trade and supply chain stability, particularly in the energy and food security sectors. Discussions also included strategies for enhancing economic integration and trade between Egypt and African countries and improving maritime connectivity within the continent.