Minister of Planning and Economic Development Ahmed Rostom on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, said that the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE) is one of Egypt’s key strategic assets that represent an integrated platform where trade, logistics, and production converge to serve the overall economy.
The minister was delivering the inaugural speech during a high-level roundtable on boosting foreign investment and integrating Egyptian companies into global value chains, through the continued support for the private sector, enhancing competitiveness and flexibility, as well as advancing toward diversified and sustainable economic growth.
The roundtable, attended by a delegation from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), government representatives, and private sector partners, focused on leveraging the Suez Canal Economic Zone to strengthen Egypt’s economic competitiveness.
Rostom noted that the discussions come at a highly strategic time amid shifting global trade patterns, rising geopolitical tensions, and increasing pressures on supply chains.
He emphasized that issues of competitiveness, resilience, and integration into global markets have become more complex and require collaborative approaches.
Highlighting the zone’s significance, the minister pointed out that it is located along a corridor through which around 30 percent of global trade and 20 percent of international container traffic passes, giving it a pivotal role in global supply chains.
He further noted that the zone is equipped with six ports, four industrial zones, multimodal transport links, and advanced digital systems, enabling efficient goods movement, improving investment predictability, strengthening supply chain continuity, and enhancing infrastructure integration.
Its value, the minister stressed, lies not only in its location but also in its ability to connect production, logistics, and exports within a unified system.
Traffic through the Suez Canal has shown notable recovery following a period of disruptions, with growth reaching 8.6 percent in the first quarter, accelerating to 24.2 percent in the second quarter, and later to 25.6 percent, Rostom said.
This recovery has contributed to lowering transaction costs, easing supply chain bottlenecks, and boosting investor confidence, the minister stated.
He pointed to a 19 percent year-on-year increase in container volumes and a 16 percent rise in vessel traffic during the first half of the year.
