Pakistan, Egypt set up joint business council
New council aims to expand bilateral trade, accelerate investment ties, and revive long-inactive cooperation frameworks
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (MNTV) — Pakistan and Egypt have established a Pakistan–Egypt Business Council to strengthen economic cooperation and expand bilateral trade, announced during Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty’s two-day visit to Islamabad.
The initiative targets a substantial upgrade in economic engagement beyond the current trade volume of roughly 300 million dollars.
Pakistan will share an initial list of 250 vetted Pakistani companies with Egyptian authorities to accelerate private-sector collaboration, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
He added that a second batch of 250 firms will be submitted within three months, creating a pool of 500 priority enterprises eligible for inclusion in Egypt’s official whitelist.
Both sides reaffirmed their intention to revive key institutional mechanisms, including the Joint Ministerial Commission and Annual Bilateral Consultations, which have remained largely inactive for over a decade.
Authorities said the new business council will pave the way for a Pakistan–Egypt Business Forum co-chaired by the foreign ministers once the structure becomes fully operational.
Officials confirmed that the next session of the Joint Ministerial Commission will be held in early 2026, aiming to accelerate cooperation in trade, investment, defense, culture, and health.
Dar and Abdelatty stated that the new council will streamline market access for Pakistani firms while enabling sector-specific partnerships between the two countries.
The first meeting of the Pakistan–Egypt Business Forum is scheduled in Cairo in the second quarter of 2026, where both sides expect to chart a detailed roadmap for expanding bilateral economic ties.
Discussions between the delegations also covered agriculture, industry, education, cultural initiatives, and defense collaboration.
Dar noted that Egypt has agreed to double scholarship allocations for Pakistani students at Al-Azhar University, reflecting both countries’ interest in strengthening educational and cultural exchanges.
Officials further emphasized the need for closer coordination on regional peace efforts and deeper people-to-people engagement.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
