Ebeid receives Italian investors

Egyptian Prime Minister Atef Ebeid yesterday met with a group of Italian investors taking part in investment ventures in Egypt in all fields.

The meeting was attended by Egyptian partners in these ventures and Italian ambassador in Cairo Mario Sica.

A Cabinet official source said Ebeid commended the encouraging and safe investment climate in Egypt, adding that Egyptian-European partnership relations depend on the mutual trade interests.

Ebeid also hailed Italy's role and continued cooperation with Egypt, namely in the fields of upgrading industry, natural gas prospecting and marketing, agriculture and tourism.

The Egyptian government, Ebeid said, is about to submit a draft law to the People's Assembly on the exclusive economic zones (EEZs), which will attract more investments and enhance Egypt's drive to apply the market economy.

Meanwhile, Minister of Industry and Technological Development Ali Al- Saiedi stressed the government's interest in solving all the problems facing investors and attracting more foreign investments to Egypt.

In a meeting yesterday with the representatives of major Italian companies working in Egypt, Saiedi said Italy comes first on the list of Egypt's trade partners and second on the list of industrial investment, which confirms wide vistas to augment joint cooperation in all fields.