Egypt, Philippines explore ways to deepen economic, commercial cooperation

CAIRO - 23 July 2026: Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty had talks with Philippines' Secretary of Trade and Industry Cristina Aldeguer-Roque on boosting bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation.

The talks, held on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Manila, explored new avenues of cooperation to serve the common interests of both countries.

The Minister said Egypt is deeply interested in deepening economic and trade ties with the Philippines and the ASEAN.

Abdelatty said his meetings on the sidelines of the ASEAN gathering aim to build on the momentum in Egypt's relations with Asian countries by expanding trade, investment and broader economic cooperation.

He said Egypt is looking to significantly increase trade with the Philippines, highlighting the country's strategic location and extensive network of free trade agreements, which position it as a gateway to African, Arab and European markets.

The Minister said Egypt is ready to expand commercial cooperation with the Philippines across a range of sectors, citing growing opportunities in agricultural commodities, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, textiles and food products.

He also called for exploring new investment and business opportunities that could elevate economic relations between the two countries.

Abdelatty proposed establishing a joint Egypt-Philippines Business Council to facilitate business delegations, organize trade missions and promote direct business-to-business (B2B) engagement.

He said the initiative would help showcase Egypt's investment opportunities and incentives while encouraging new partnerships across multiple sectors.

For her part, Aldeguer-Roque reaffirmed the Philippines' interest in strengthening economic cooperation with Egypt, noting that the Egyptian market offers promising opportunities for trade and investment.

She said Manila is keen to continue coordinating with Cairo to advance bilateral economic and commercial relations in a way that serves the mutual interests of both countries.