Egypt, South Korea launch strategic dialogue to boost trade

Egypt and South Korea have launched their first Strategic Dialogue, signalling a renewed push to deepen economic, investment and development cooperation between the two countries. The inaugural dialogue was held in Seoul on June 2 during the visit of Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates, Badr Abdelatty, who met with South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun.

According to Egypt’s State Information Service, Abdelatty highlighted the importance of establishing the dialogue mechanism and building on the outcomes of the South Korean President’s visit to Egypt in November 2025 to further strengthen bilateral relations. Economic cooperation featured prominently in the discussions, with Abdelatty calling for stronger engagement between the business communities of both countries and proposing the launch of an annual Egypt-South Korea Economic Forum.

The minister outlined Egypt’s recent economic and structural reforms aimed at improving the business environment and attracting foreign investment. He also presented investment opportunities available across key sectors, particularly within the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE), which continues to position itself as a major industrial, manufacturing and logistics hub.

Abdelatty underscored Egypt’s strategic location and its role as a gateway to African markets through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), highlighting opportunities for South Korean companies seeking to expand their presence across the continent. He welcomed the expansion of existing South Korean investments in Egypt and encouraged new projects in priority sectors, including manufacturing, infrastructure and technology.

The discussions also covered development cooperation. Abdelatty expressed appreciation for South Korea’s designation of Egypt as a strategic development cooperation partner and explored opportunities for collaboration in education, science, technology and human resource development. Both sides also reviewed prospects for trilateral cooperation projects in African countries, particularly in infrastructure and renewable energy.

As part of efforts to strengthen economic engagement with Africa, Abdelatty invited South Korean participation in the inaugural Alamein-Africa Business Forum, scheduled to take place later this month. Beyond economic matters, the two ministers exchanged views on a range of regional and international issues, including developments in Gaza, Sudan and Lebanon, the Iranian-US talks, water security, the Horn of Africa and security in the Red Sea region. For his part, Cho reaffirmed South Korea’s commitment to strengthening relations with Egypt and expressed interest in expanding bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors. He also praised Egypt’s role in supporting regional security and stability in the Middle East.

The launch of the Strategic Dialogue marks a new framework for regular engagement between Cairo and Seoul as both countries seek to expand trade, investment and development partnerships while strengthening their cooperation across Africa and the wider region.