Cairo – Mubasher: Special economic zones (SEZs) of the General Authority For Investment & Free Zones (GAFI) achieved exports worth $14.7 billion during the first nine months of 2018, the Egyptian investment minister said on Sunday.
Exports of SEZs rose by nearly $1.1 billion in the January-September period, as compared with the same period last year, Sahar Nasr added in a statement.
Exports of commodities amounted to $8.3 billion, while services exports totaled $6.4 billion in the nine-month period, the minister indicated.
Nasr pointed out that the ongoing projects in the free zones reached 1,102, including 898 projects in the public free zones and 204 in the private ones.
These projects are being implemented with around $11.4 billion in capital, in addition to a direct foreign investment (DFI) worth $2.15 billion, Nasr highlighted.
She noted that the projects provided 200,000 jobs, stressing the importance of collaboration between the ministries of investment, trade, and finance to facilitate investing in SEZs.
The investment ministry is working on the establishment of seven SEZs in Minya, South Sinai, New Ismailia, Giza, Dakahlia, Aswan, and Kafr El Sheikh, Nasr said.
