Egypt and Slovenia are seeking to strengthen bilateral trade and investment, expand maritime connectivity between their ports and create employment opportunities for Egyptian workers in Slovenia, following talks between Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar on 4 November.
Madbouly highlighted the longstanding relationship between the two countries, which dates back to Slovenia’s independence in 1991. He noted that Egypt was the first Arab and African nation to recognise Slovenia and stressed the importance of expanding cooperation, strengthening partnerships and coordinating positions on international issues.
The Egyptian prime minister called for concrete measures to increase trade and investment, pointing to Egypt’s potential as a gateway for Slovenian products to reach wider Arab and African markets. He also encouraged Slovenian companies to explore investment opportunities and incentives within Egypt’s economic zones, particularly the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE), which has attracted several investment projects in recent years.
Madbouly said Egypt was continuing to improve its business environment, streamline investment procedures and upgrade electricity, road, port and airport infrastructure to attract foreign investors. Key priorities include developing local electric vehicle manufacturing capabilities and expanding the telecommunications and information technology sectors.
Musar highlighted Slovenia’s expertise in vehicle manufacturing and its interest in expanding into new markets. She said Slovenian businesses had completed two days of discussions with Egyptian counterparts and planned to continue their engagement following the meeting. The visiting business delegation comprises 25 companies, including 15 specialising in logistics and infrastructure.
Madbouly also highlighted existing Egyptian investments in Slovenia’s energy sector, particularly the manufacturing facility of smart metering company Iskraemeco, which is owned by Egypt-based energy solutions group Elsewedy Electric.
Expanding maritime and energy cooperation
On maritime connectivity, Madbouly proposed strengthening links between Slovenia’s Port of Koper and additional Egyptian ports, including Ain Sokhna and Damietta. He also called for greater cooperation in container handling and logistics services, which represent areas of shared interest.
He described the Port of Koper as a strategic Adriatic gateway serving Central European markets. Existing logistics cooperation with Alexandria Port has supported bilateral trade and Slovenia’s ambitions to expand its presence in African markets. Further port connectivity could also facilitate Egyptian exports to European Union (EU) member states.
An economic forum scheduled to take place in Cairo during Musar’s visit is expected to bring together Slovenian business representatives and a delegation from the Port of Koper to explore opportunities for closer cooperation.
Energy cooperation with Europe also featured prominently in the discussions. Madbouly outlined Egypt’s plans to complete an electricity interconnection project with Greece and connect gas fields in Cyprus to Egypt’s gas infrastructure. He described these initiatives as strategically important for strengthening Egypt’s relationship with the EU, supporting European energy security and improving connectivity across the Mediterranean.
Employment, education and tourism partnerships
Madbouly proposed establishing an agreement to facilitate the employment of Egyptian workers in sectors where Slovenia faces labour requirements. He said Egypt was keen to expand cooperation on labour mobility and regular migration, building on similar arrangements already developed with other European countries.
In education and scientific research, the Egyptian prime minister expressed interest in enabling high-achieving Egyptian students to study in Slovenia and benefit from its research expertise. He specifically highlighted opportunities for collaboration with institutions such as the Jožef Stefan Institute.
Musar identified scientific research as another important area for cooperation, particularly in artificial intelligence, chemistry and biology. She also praised the interest shown by students during her lecture at Cairo University and highlighted the existing academic partnership between Cairo University and the University of Ljubljana.
The Slovenian president further called for stronger tourism ties, noting the potential to combine the two countries’ tourism expertise. She highlighted Egypt’s diverse destinations and the growing interest among Slovenian travellers in visiting the country.
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