Egypt, China push ahead with strategic petrochemical projects

Egyptian Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi met with Deng Zhaojing, general manager of China National Chemical Engineering Group (CNCEC), to accelerate several joint projects. The agenda focused on the New Alamein soda‑ash plant and the Red Sea National Petrochemicals complex in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, as well as related metallic‑silicon and bio‑ethanol initiatives.

Both parties highlighted the importance of localising value‑added production, increasing the share of Egyptian components, reducing import dependence and opening new export markets. Badawi emphasized that the soda‑ash project is strategically vital for replacing an imported commodity, while the Red Sea complex is slated to become a major regional hub for high‑value petrochemical products.

CNCEC, operating in Egypt for nearly two decades, reaffirmed its commitment to the project timelines and invited Badawi to visit its Beijing headquarters to explore further cooperation.