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UK is the Number One partner for the Suez Canal Economic Zone

UK’s Trade Envoy to Egypt says the UK is the number one partner for the Suez Canal Economic Zone as Dr Ahmed Darwish travels to London.

Trade Envoy to Egypt, Jeffrey Donaldson

British businesses have the experience and expertise to make the UK the number one partner for developing Egypt’s Suez Canal Economic Zone, according to the UK’s Trade Envoy to Egypt Jeffrey Donaldson MP.

Mr Donaldson’s comments came as Dr Ahmed Darwish, Chairman of the General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone, begins a four-day visit to the UK. During his visit, Dr Darwish will meet Mr Robert Goodwill, Minister of State at the Department for Transport, a wide range of leading British companies such as Deloitte, Carillion, and British Telecom, and will receive a tour of the Port of Liverpool.

Jeffrey Donaldson MP said:

I look forward to welcoming Dr Ahmed Darwish to the UK. We have worked hard to pull together a programme which will demonstrate to Dr Darwish areas of outstanding experience and expertise which the UK can offer in the development of the Suez Canal Economic Zone.

Dr Darwish’s visit comes three months after my own visit to Egypt where I saw for myself the speed at which the area is being developed. I am confident that the UK can be the number one partner in the Suez Canal Economic Zone project as Dr Darwish’s vision becomes a reality.

Jason Ivory, Director of UK Trade and Investment in Cairo, said:

Dr Darwish’s visit is a great opportunity for us to continue building on the UK and Egypt’s strong business and trade partnership.

This is an exciting time. For many years the UK has been Egypt’s number one investor and now, with major opportunities emerging from the Suez Canal Economic Zone, British businesses are set to help make this ambitious project a success.

It is particularly exciting that Dr Darwish will visit the Port of Liverpool during his visit to the UK – a world-class example of ports development, management, operations, security, and technology. It is a great showcase for how British businesses can deliver a state-of-the-art ports project fit for the twenty-first century and it is exactly what Egypt is looking for.

Published 25 May 2016