Press release
Minister Pat Breen TD leads 12 Enterprise Ireland companies on trade mission to Egypt
From Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Published on
Last updated on
Pat Breen TD, Minister for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection will lead Enterprise Ireland’s two-day trade mission to Egypt which commences today (4th December 2018).
The 12 participating Irish companies offer products and services in the fintech, ICT, energy management, agritech and healthcare sectors. The trade mission is part of Enterprise Ireland’s strategy to diversify into new markets in preparation for Brexit.
Speaking on arrival in Cairo Minister Breen said; “I am delighted to lead this Enterprise Ireland trade mission to Egypt which is part of Irish efforts to reinvigorate our bilateral trading relationship. I look forward to meeting with counterparts in the Egyptian ministries of Trade and Industry, Agriculture, Civil Aviation and Communications and IT to impress upon them the advantage of trading with innovative Irish companies in terms of access to world-class products, technology and highly-educated people.”
During the two-day mission, Minister Breen will promote trade with Ireland when he addresses the Egyptian Irish Business Forum followed by a meeting with HE Amr Nasser, the Egyptian Minister for Trade and Industry.
He will also address a Business Networking Breakfast with key Egyptian influencers and industrialists and a trade reception at the residence of the Irish Ambassador to Egypt.
Using the trade mission as a platform to reinvigorate Ireland’s trading relationship with Egypt, Minister Breen will meet with four Egyptian Ministers including HE General Younes El Masry, Minister for Aviation. At present, the majority of EgyptAir fleet renewal is leased out of Ireland. The meeting will present an opportunity for Minister Breen to promote Ireland’s Aviation Cluster and Shannon’s Propeller Accelerator and to discuss how the Government could support the commencement of direct flights from Ireland to Egypt.
He will also meet Dr. Mona Mehrez Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation before travelling to the Smart Village in Cairo, Egypt’s leading technology hub to meet with Dr. Khaled el Attar, Deputy Minister of Communications and Information Technology.
Joe Breslin, Enterprise Ireland IMEA Director said: ‘Trade Missions such as this one, co-ordinated by Enterprise Ireland on behalf of the Government of Ireland, present enormous opportunities to the participating companies. We are currently focusing our efforts in Egypt on promoting the Irish advantage in sectors such as fintech, ICT, food technology and agritech, food production, lifesciences, aviation and industrial sub-supply. As our clients prepare for Brexit, supporting their diversification in to new markets such as Egypt is a key priority for us as we work towards our target of delivering 60,000 new jobs and an additional €5bn of exports by 2020.”
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Grace Labanyi, Enterprise Ireland
Tel: 00 353 (0)1 7272820 email: grace.labanyi@enterprise-ireland.com