Dr. Mohamed Awad, CEO of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), participated, on behalf of Dr. Mohamed Farid Saleh, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, in the eighth periodic meeting of the Arab Businesswomen Council, held at the headquarters of the League of Arab States, with the participation of a distinguished group of leaders and officials, as well as company executives and businesswomen from Egypt and Arab countries.
The opening session was attended by Dr. Nabil Fahmy, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States; H.H. Sheikha Hessa Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah, Chairwoman of the Arab Businesswomen Council; Dr. Hala El-Said, Economic Advisor to the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt; Ambassador Marwa Lasheen, representative of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, on behalf of Dr. Badr Abdelatty, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptians Abroad; Counselor Amal Ammar, President of the National Council for Women; Dr. Islam Ezzam, Chairman of the Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA); and H.E. Ambassador Amr Moussa, former Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, along with a number of business and investment community leaders.
Dr. Mohamed Awad emphasized that women’s presence in leadership positions is no longer merely a matter of empowerment, but has become an essential component of growth, competitiveness, and economic decision-making. He noted that women’s economic empowerment should go beyond participation to encompass influence, leadership, and value creation, given women’s role as key partners in entrepreneurship and in leading companies and driving investment, industry, exports, technology, and decision-making.
He noted that the importance of the meeting lies in translating dialogue and the exchange of ideas into genuine partnerships, partnerships into investments, and investments into added value, jobs, and sustainable growth, thereby strengthening the role of women in supporting economic development and enhancing the competitiveness of Arab economies.
Dr. Mohamed Awad explained that Egypt seeks to maximize the benefits of its investment potential in a manner that strengthens its position as an integrated hub for production, manufacturing, and exports to regional and global markets.
He added that GAFI is working to improve the quality of investments, rather than focusing solely on increasing their volume, thereby contributing to technology transfer, higher productivity, job creation, increased exports, and deeper local manufacturing. He stressed that enhancing the investor experience represents a key priority through streamlining procedures, expanding digitalization, strengthening post-establishment services, and accelerating procedures for resolving investors’ challenges.
GAFI CEO emphasized that partnership will be a key feature of the next phase through the integration of the roles of the government, the private sector, and Egyptian, Arab, and foreign investors, and by transforming opportunities for cooperation and dialogue into partnerships and investments with a tangible economic impact.