Cairo: Unilever has officially designated Egypt as its largest market in the region, according to a statement from Minister of Industry Khaled Hashem. The announcement came after a meeting between Minister Hashem and Cem Tarik Yuksel, Chairman of Unilever for North Africa, the Levant, and Iraq, where they discussed the company's strategic plans in the Egyptian market.According to State Information Service Egypt, the discussions highlighted Unilever's extensive operations in Egypt, which include four factories producing a range of personal care, household, and food products. These facilities also contribute to exports to over 30 countries across five continents. Minister Hashem emphasized the ministry's dedication to enabling international companies, like Unilever, to expand their investments in key industrial sectors that fulfill local market requirements, boost exports, and generate employment.Minister Hashem also underscored the significance of bolstering the expansion strategies of international manufa cturers in Egypt, emphasizing the enhancement of local supply chains through collaboration with domestic suppliers. This initiative aims to increase the local component in industrial products, thereby improving the competitiveness of Egyptian manufacturing on a global scale. He noted that recent amendments to licensing requirements for cosmetics factories to align with ISO 22716 are a testament to Egypt's commitment to maintaining high safety and quality standards in manufacturing, which will facilitate access to new export markets.Cem Tarik Yuksel reiterated Unilever's commitment to strengthening its presence in Egypt, recognizing the country as its largest and most critical market in the region, as well as its regional headquarters. He revealed plans to expand the personal care products factory to increase production capacity to 150,000 tons annually and announced the impending launch of a new production line for hair care products.