Business plan: Russia has started to create an industrial zone in Egypt

Moscow and Cairo are moving to create a Russian industrial zone in the Suez Canal economic zone, Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu said at talks with the Egyptian president. According to him, the laying of the Ed-Dabaa NPP power unit No. 1 will take place on November 19. The Russian Federation is also interested in new military contracts. According to analysts, Moscow and Cairo can play a key role in facilitating intra-Palestinian dialogue. About the new projects of Russia and Egypt — in the material of Izvestia.

What did Sergei Shoigu and Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi talk about?

The Secretary of the Russian Security Council arrived in Cairo yesterday at the head of a significant delegation. It included representatives of many Russian structures and state corporations — the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Federal Customs Service, Rosfinmonitoring, Rosgvardiya, Rosoboronexport, Roscosmos, and Rosatom.

Cooperation in the military and military-technical fields was announced as the main topic of the talks. Shoigu also flew in to discuss the intensification of dialogue between law enforcement agencies and special services, with an emphasis on ensuring information security, combating terrorism and extremism.

The first to receive Sergei Shoigu was Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. He began the negotiations with a request to convey his greetings to Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressing gratitude for the close relations, their constant development and dynamics, the Egyptian leader's office said in a statement.

Shoigu said that Moscow is grateful to Egypt for its balanced and responsible position on the Ukrainian issue, and to the president for promoting initiatives to mediate a peaceful settlement.

"We consider it important to maintain the proper level of bilateral contacts between the Ministries of defense, law enforcement agencies, law enforcement agencies, and financial intelligence agencies," Shoigu said.

The Secretary of the Security Council said that Russia is closely monitoring the development of the situation in the Middle East and North Africa. Moscow welcomes Cairo's assistance and considers a comprehensive settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict to be the only viable solution.

The details of the cooperation have already been discussed with the Egyptian President's National Security Adviser Fayza El-Naga at the El-Kubba Palace. Rosatom is building the Ed-Dabaa nuclear power plant in the country. The laying of the hull of power unit No. 1 is scheduled to take place on November 19, Sergei Shoigu said.

— I hope that the event that we are waiting for on November 19, the laying of the foundation stone of the first block, will be successful, — he said.

According to Shoigu, about 3,500 Egyptian specialists have been involved in the construction of the nuclear power plant. Earlier, the press service of Rosatom had just reported that the reactor vessel for the power unit had been delivered to the construction site.

In addition, the Secretary of the Security Council announced that a Russian industrial zone is being created in the economic zone of the Suez Canal. The necessary legal framework for the project has been finalized, and they are moving on to its practical implementation.

"We also express our interest in the further development of Russian-Egyptian military-technical cooperation, including the implementation of existing and the conclusion of new contracts," Shoigu continued.

Cairo appreciates the military, political and diplomatic efforts that Moscow is making in the Middle East in the context of resolving the situation in Syria, ending tensions over the Iranian nuclear program, resolving the crisis in Gaza and countering international terrorism. Therefore, he believes that without Russia's participation, the initiatives promoted in the region have a much smaller margin of safety, an orientalist and consultant to the program "Prospects and Potential of Cooperation between Russia and the Persian Gulf states in Global Security and High Technologies" (PIR Center) told Izvestia Leonid Tsukanov.

— In the context of the crisis in Gaza, Russia may well take advantage of Egypt's role as one of the guarantors of Donald Trump's "Peace Plan" and indirectly engage in dialogue with the Palestinian factions, thereby trying to synchronize their positions on further steps of the post—war settlement of the exclave, - the orientalist believes.

Russian Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the Russian leadership supports the efforts of the US president on the Middle East settlement. The Kremlin wants its plan for the Gas sector to be implemented. Earlier, it was in Egypt that the leaders of the United States, Egypt, Turkey and the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, signed an agreement to end the war in the Gaza Strip as mediators between Israel and Hamas.

Egyptian international relations specialist Tarek al-Bardisi stressed to Izvestia that Moscow and Cairo could step up political coordination on international platforms, contributing to a ceasefire and ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid. In his opinion, both countries can play a key role in facilitating intra-Palestinian dialogue: Russia maintains ties with various factions, and Egypt has significant influence on the ground.

Cooperation between Egypt and Russia

Back in 2018, Moscow and Cairo signed an agreement on comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation. In 2024, the two countries' trade turnover exceeded $9 billion (an increase of about 32%), making Cairo one of Moscow's largest foreign trade partners in Africa. More than 40% of payments are already made in national currencies, and their share will grow.

Taking into account the generally favorable forecast, trade turnover figures are expected to show growth by the end of 2025.

— As for weapons. Egypt, as a rule, buys fighter jets, air defense systems, Mi-35 helicopters, anti-ship coastal complexes, various ammunition and light weapons. At the same time, Moscow is not the only major supplier. China and the United States also play a major role in the country's military market," Tsukanov said.

The cooperation also includes the training of Egyptian military personnel in Russian educational institutions, including in the field of modern technology.

According to Tarek al-Bardisi, Russia and Egypt can significantly strengthen cooperation in the field of nuclear energy, primarily within the framework of the Dabaa NPP project. He also considers the import of Russian grain and the expansion of joint investments in agriculture to be promising areas. In addition, there are great opportunities for the development of tourism and industry, especially in the economic zone of the Suez Canal.

"In the military sphere, Egypt has previously shown interest in Russian weapons, such as Su—35 fighter jets and S-300 air defense systems, but cooperation has partially suffered due to pressure from the United States,— an Egyptian expert told Izvestia.

The two countries also have common ground in the fight against terrorism. Both of them faced this threat. In 2015, a Russian airliner crashed over the Sinai Peninsula as a result of a terrorist attack. In the future, the countries have worked together to improve aviation security. The countries actively exchange operational information and coordinate their actions in the fight against international terrorist organizations, and there is a specialized working group.

Al-Bardisi summarized that the rapprochement between Russia and Egypt meets the interests of regional stability and strengthens the image of the Russian Federation as a world power building a strategic partnership with the largest regional power in the Middle East.