Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation holds a bilateral meeting with the Bulgarian Minister of Economy and Industry to discuss opportunities for joint cooperation between the two countries

Ahead of the convening of the Egyptian-Bulgarian Joint Committee for Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation

Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation holds a bilateral meeting with the Bulgarian Minister of Economy and Industry to discuss opportunities for joint cooperation between the two countries

The two ministers emphasize the need to increase trade between the two countries and explore partnership opportunities in industry, digital transformation, and investments in the Suez Canal Economic Zone.

Ahead of the commencement of the Egyptian-Bulgarian Joint Committee for Economic, Scientific, and Technical Cooperation, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation, held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Mr. Petar Dilov, Minister of Economy and Industry of the Republic of Bulgaria, in the presence of H.E. Mr. Deyan Katrachev, Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria to Cairo. The two ministers held discussions on the future of Egyptian-Bulgarian economic relations, efforts to advance cooperation within the framework of the joint committee, and ways to benefit from available opportunities in both countries to support growth and economic development.

Dr. Al-Mashat welcomed the Bulgarian Minister of Economy and the accompanying delegation during their visit to the Arab Republic of Egypt, emphasizing the strength of diplomatic and economic relations between Egypt and Bulgaria—relations that will approach a full century in 2026. She highlighted the long-standing cooperation, continuous coordination, and high-level visits between the two countries, most notably the visit of Bulgarian President H.E. Rumen Radev to Cairo in March 2019, which addressed cooperation in industry, maritime transport, energy, electric vehicles, and education.

She also congratulated Bulgaria on its upcoming accession to the Eurozone, noting the comprehensive strategic partnership between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the European Union, and the significant opportunities available to European countries within this framework—particularly the €1.8 billion investment guarantee mechanism designated for the private sector to stimulate investments in sectors of mutual priority, especially renewable energy.

Dr. Al-Mashat explained that the current session of the Egyptian-Bulgarian Joint Committee serves as an important mechanism to support economic relations, expand investments, and identify new areas of cooperation across sectors including trade, industry, renewable energy, health, agriculture, higher education, information technology, and civil aviation.

She noted that both countries have substantial potential to enhance cooperation, particularly in trade—which does not yet reflect the shared aspirations—and in investments within the Suez Canal Economic Zone. She highlighted the progress made by the Egyptian government in implementing reforms that improve the investment climate and business environment, contributing to greater investment attraction. She invited Bulgarian companies to explore partnership opportunities during the Joint Business Forum scheduled for tomorrow.

The two ministers discussed available partnership opportunities within the joint committee framework, particularly in digital transformation, advanced technologies, tourism, transport, and other sectors offering significant potential for collaboration.

The two sides also discussed cooperation in transport and logistics and benefiting from Bulgaria’s expertise in digital navigation technologies. They further explored the possibility of operating a direct flight route between Cairo and Sofia to support tourism, facilitate the movement of business delegations, and strengthen commercial connectivity.

It is worth noting that the volume of trade exchange between the two countries reached USD 1.02 billion in 2024. Additionally, 17 Bulgarian companies currently invest in Egypt across the sectors of industry, services, tourism, telecommunications, and construction. The tourism sector has also witnessed remarkable growth, with Egypt receiving approximately 50,560 Bulgarian tourists in October 2025, accounting for 347,926 tourist nights — the highest figure recorded to date.