Haguer MAGDI’s Post

I lately had an exceptional visit to the Suez Canal Authority in Ismailia, together with Flanders Hydraulic Waterbouwkundig Laboratorium During the visit Steven Kaptein, thibaut van zwijnsvoorde and I, we were able to present Belgium and Flanders’ strong maritime research scope, dredging expertise, state of the art navigation technologies and ways of collaboration between the authority and Belgian businesses. We were welcomed with open arms to visit the simulation complex and witness the size of possible operations. We also visited the SCA’s research center, which is conducting all technical studies on design and development of navigation channels and environmental surroundings. A stop by the monitoring unit, the unit that never sleeps at the SCA, showed us the process of the passage of vessels in convoys through the canal, which takes an average of 12 hours per vessel. We were able to see where the container ship, Ever Given, has blocked navigation for almost a week in the canal in 2021. At the end of the visit, we couldn’t miss a canal cruise between Africa and Asia to see where it all started and get insights on the optimization plan of the Suez Canal’s resources, capabilities, and central location for global trade. I deeply thank all involved departments of the SCA for making this visit a success and I am looking forward to a fruitful collaboration. #FlandersInvestmentandTrade #BuildingCommercialBridges

في القارة الأفريقية حظت مصر بموقع استراتيجي وتطوير مستمر للبنية التحتية لتشارك بقوة في مشهد الطاقة المستدامة في المستقبَل باستخراج الهيدروجين الأخضر ، بينما حظت بلجيكا بفرصة المستقبِل الأول والموزع لأوروبا والمسئول عن تطوير وتشغيل البنية التحتية لنقل الهيدروجين ووضع خطة تطوير الشبكة التجارية في المنطقة. فرصة للشركات المصرية المطورة في مجال الهيدروجين الأخضر للتعرف على ريادة القطاع الخاص في الاقليم الشمالي لبلجيكا "فلاندرز" وفرص الاستثمار في الحلول المبتكرة في هذا المجال. Webinar May 23rd: "Flanders – A Hotspot for Hydrogen Innovation" https://bit.ly/3Uk7DUv

This March, the Egyptian maritime conference Marlog13 in Alexandria had an impactful Belgian Flemish participation. The collaboration with the Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport made it possible to engage both Flanders Hydraulics Waterbouwkundig Laboratorium and Port of Antwerp-Bruges International in discussions with international peers, showcasing their researches’ promising results in maritime transport and port management, in collaboration with their research partners the University of Ghent and the University of Antwerp. In Belgium’s Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels, we value the collaboration between academia, businesses and government. Collaborating with universities is the best coping mechanism for SMEs to gain access to innovative problem solving methods. Belgium has been one the EU biggest spenders on research and development over the years. The R&D intensity in the country reached approx. 3.5% of the GDP in 2022, to meet and exceed Europe’s target on R&D expenditure. You can read more about how Flanders blazes the R&D and innovation trail in Europe https://lnkd.in/drQmHMTA

I am very proud of the effort done in between the two pictures. The first was taken in 2022 at the Port of Antwerp Bruges when the Egyptian company Pyravision asked to join me during my short visit to the port to share their insights on the Egyptian transport sector. Two years later I meet the Port of Antwerp Bruges in our office in Cairo with the same company as their new local partner for transport activities. The Port of Antwerp-Bruges International has been actively present in Egypt for the past years endorsing sustainable cargo transport through workshops, trainings and studies. With a large expertise in port management and development of terminal operations, I see PoABI playing a key role in the MENA region in the coming years. #FlandersInvestmentandTrade #BuildingCommercialBridges

Great exchange with amazing businesswomen and young women entrepreneurs in the making. Congratulations Womenpreneur-Initiative on another successful and impactful workshop in Egypt hub.brussels

I had the pleasure to take part in Antwerp Management School eMBA’s students’ trip to Cairo, by presenting the essence of what our public trade agency Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT) does on the ground in Egypt. An interesting discussion on how we are able to support companies in their expansion plans to reach different markets, where we can match a need with the compatible know-how. The participants had amazing profiles, joining from several Flemish companies and various sectors: e.g. logistics, ICT, energy technologies, construction, pharmaceutical, among others. Glad to see AMS partnership with the American University in Cairo and Almaty Management University producing such enriching experiences https://lnkd.in/dg-hynHi

What’s a better place to end the year than Aswan, the jewel of the Nile and the land of gold. A city that’s known for its ancient Egyptian cultural wealth. Yet my visit with the EU Delegation to Egypt and the trade attachés of 12 member states had an industrial lense. Renewable energy found a land of great potential in Aswan with the High Dam hydro power project and Benban Solar Park. The park is Egypt’s first photovoltaic plant and one of the world’s largest solar parks. A mega-project extended over 37km2 and expected to generate 42% of the country’s electricity by 2035. It was a privilege to visit Benban and talk to investors, on site, who are already partners with several Belgian companies involved in renewable energy solutions. By meeting the Governor, Major General Ashraf Attia and Aswan’s businessmen and investors associations, we got the chance to know more about the local manufacturing excellence, the industrial zone in the city, the mining and agricultural opportunities and also experience the Nubian hospitality. May 2024 be the bearer of fruitful opportunities

In 2018 I attended the first Intra-Africa Trade Fair in Cairo. Five years later I am happy to see the fair coming back to Egypt and glad to see the great progress of the agenda, organization and participation. Both the conference and the exhibition are showcasing the commitment of African businesses, institutions and public sectors to connect African markets and unleash the large potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area - AFCFTA. In preparation for the implementation of the AFCFTA, optimizing the quality of the infrastructure was discussed in many panels, which is an area of interest to many Belgian companies, who have a remarkable knowledge and presence in Africa. The three Belgian regional trade agencies Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT), Wallonia Export & Investment Agency and hub.brussels have more than 10 offices in Africa, covering 40 African countries, which is positively reflected in the trade volume. While the EU is Africa's biggest trading partner, Belgium is ranked among the largest exporters of goods to the continent, with €16 billion exports, €10 billion imports in 2021 and a trade balance in services of almost one billion euro. Belgium, has also a long-standing engagement with Africa, as the priority partner of its international climate action. Last September Belgium pledged €24 million to a number of new projects that will be launched in 2023 and 2024 in Burundi, Guinea, Mali, Senegal and Tanzania, which will contribute to the climate adaptation with regard to agriculture, sustainable cities and biodiversity. This goes hand in hand with the African Union and Afreximbank’s pledge, during the fair, to ensure the use of African resources for the development of African economies and African growth. Take a look at a day at the #IATF2023 https://lnkd.in/eYfUgPdA