Tajani flies to Cairo to meet al-Sisi. From migrants to the Strait of Hormuz to the Mattei Plan: all the hot topics

Energy and the green transition, infrastructure, advanced industrial technologies, digitalisation and agritech will be among the key sectors at the heart of the discussions. In 2025, bilateral trade reached €5.9 billion, up 11.7 per cent, with a further increase of 7.5 per cent in the first five months of 2026.

Finally, the visit will help to strengthen cooperation under the Mattei Plan, for which Egypt is one of the focus countries and a priority partner. Particular attention will be paid to technical and vocational training and skills development, with a view to offering new opportunities to young Egyptians whilst helping to meet the demand for skilled workers within the Italian manufacturing sector. During the session dedicated to the Mattei Plan for Africa, in particular, the opportunities and tools available to businesses to strengthen cooperation between the economic ecosystems of the two countries will be outlined.

The Forum will therefore be divided into three sector-specific sessions dedicated respectively to advanced manufacturing technologies for the agri-food, fashion and furniture sectors; sustainable transport, smart logistics and next-generation connectivity; and energy, infrastructure and technologies for sustainable construction, with a focus on renewable energy.

Egypt is the fourth-largest destination for Italian exports to Africa, accounting for 14.2 per cent of our exports to the region, after Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. Since 2019, bilateral trade has grown by +36 per cent, peaking in 2022 (€6.89 billion) with a trade balance in Italia’s favour that remained positive until 2024.

In 2025, trade volumes recorded a further significant increase (+11.7 per cent year-on-year), reaching a total value of 5.9 billion euros. This growth was driven primarily by a rise in imports from Egypt (+22.6 per cent), which rose to €3 billion, whilst Italian exports recorded a more modest increase (+2 per cent), standing at €2.9 billion. For the first time, the trade balance was negative, recording a deficit of €177 million.

In the first five months of 2026, trade grew by 7.5 per cent compared with the same period the previous year, reaching 2.5 billion euros. This growth was driven primarily by Italian exports, which rose by 17.4% to €1.24 billion, whilst imports stood at €1.30 billion, remaining broadly stable (-0.5%).

Between January and April 2026, Italia ranked as Egypt’s ninth-largest supplier, with a market share of 3 per cent, and as the country’s largest customer, with a share of 7.2 per cent. Among its main European competitors, Italia ranks behind Germany (4.07 per cent), but ahead of France (1.94 per cent), the United Kingdom (1.43 per cent) and Spain (1.20 per cent).

The sectors with the greatest growth potential for strengthening and revitalising Italy’s presence in Egypt are those with the highest technological content. These include: energy and the green transition, physical and digital infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, agritech, as well as defence and security.

Egypt is a strategic partner for Italia in terms of nearshoring and the diversification of our energy supplies, thanks in part to the significant oil and gas discoveries made by Eni off the coast of Egypt (the Zohr field is the largest natural gas reserve in the Mediterranean) and to the growing opportunities in the field of renewables. Eni is also active in the country in the development and production of hydrocarbons in the Meleiha area, and in initiatives relating to the energy transition and renewables through Eni New Energy Egypt, as well as in the management of the Damietta liquefaction terminal.

The Italian presence in the energy sector also includes other major companies, such as: Ansaldo, Saipem, SNAM, Valvitalia and Cesi. The Egyptian authorities’ focus on the transmission of green energy and the related investments to improve the country’s transmission grid are seen as opportunities for collaboration. In the field of green hydrogen, the country is exploring opportunities for cooperation in the sector, including with Italian companies, and there are also promising prospects in the nuclear sector for the development of small, state-of-the-art power stations in Egypt.

The water sector also offers significant prospects for growth, given the central importance of this issue for the country (the ‘Water System 2.0’ programme).

Cooperation in the field of infrastructure and transport is also promising, particularly in the rail sector, thanks to the government’s strategy to modernise the national rail network and develop new infrastructure.

In the infrastructure sector, MAPEI opened a new plant in early 2025, the group’s second (a US$20 million investment). Rina is involved in projects in the energy and transport infrastructure sectors. In the aeronautical sector, an agreement was signed in June 2025 between Flyon Aero and the Egyptian company SAVIS Aviation to establish the first aeronautical training centre operating directly in Egypt.