CAIRO - 6 April 2026: Minister of Industry Khaled Hashem held a meeting with the Federation of Egyptian Industries and the Petroleum and Mining Chamber to discuss ways to maximize the use of mineral resources and deepen local manufacturing.
The meeting reviewed several key challenges facing the mining sector, including increasing the added value of minerals, reducing the carbon footprint in line with Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) requirements, the declining quality of locally available alternative fuel (RDF), and limited mining exploration licenses due to their one-year duration and restricted exploration areas.
Hashem emphasized that the mining industry is a promising sector and a key priority for the ministry, aimed at attracting new investments, increasing value-added production, reducing import dependency, and boosting exports.
He highlighted that significant attention is being given to carbon border regulations to enhance the competitiveness of local companies in European and global markets. He also noted ongoing coordination between the Ministries of Industry, Local Development, and Environment to issue an environmental registry for measuring and verifying industrial carbon emissions.
The minister added that Egypt is advancing toward a green industrial economy by improving operational efficiency and rationalizing energy consumption, particularly amid global energy challenges.
He explained that the ministry is currently working with the Ministries of Electricity and Petroleum to develop energy maps for industrial zones, identifying suitable renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind, to reduce reliance on the national grid. The plan also includes expanding energy service companies to audit industrial consumption and improve efficiency, while enabling private sector participation in renewable energy installations within industrial zones.
Hashem further noted that the ministry is working with relevant authorities to diversify alternative fuel sources for energy-intensive industries such as cement, stressing readiness to provide technical support through the Ministry’s Mining and Marble Technology Center.
On the industry side, Mohamed El-Sewedy, President of the Federation of Egyptian Industries, stressed the importance of leveraging the Federation’s Environmental Compliance Office services, including the revolving loan mechanism that helps finance companies, provide environmental technologies, and support energy efficiency improvements to help the industrial sector achieve sustainable development goals.
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