In a strategic move to develop the Shaq Al-Thu'ban area, Minister of Trade and Industry Ahmed Samir convened with Sayed Abaza, Vice President of the Chamber of Building Materials Industries, and Yasser Rashid, Head of the Quarries and Mines Division. The meeting's focus was on executive actions and policies to foster growth in the region. The minister reported that the discussions centred on implementing President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi's directives to boost the marble and granite sector's exports to $1bn. A comprehensive strategy to enhance marble and granite exports was outlined and developed through extensive stakeholder meetings and workshops. These sessions aimed to gain a deep understanding of the sector's needs, obstacles, and prospects. Minister Samir affirmed the ministry's dedication to supporting this strategy, which seeks to double Egypt's export share from 2.1% in 2023 to 4.4% within four years. This includes transitioning workers from the informal to the formal sector. The strategy's main elements include improving exploration for new stone varieties, increasing factory and quarry efficiency, reducing production and export costs, targeting high-value markets, promoting the Egyptian brand internationally, and initiating waste recycling for quarries and factories. Samir stressed the government's pledge to transform Shaq Al-Thu'ban into a specialized industrial city, providing extensive support to factory owners. This development is a pivotal step in elevating Egypt's marble and granite industry as a leading global exporter.
