APA | 25 December 2014

Egypt to add more jobs, trade agreements in 2015

The Trade and Industry Ministry has released its expectations for 2015, with a number of agreements and new job opportunities. According to a statement released on Thursday, the ministry is anticipating among several other regulations a presidential decree allowing lands to be allocated by direct order based on restrictions set by the government.

The ministry plans also to secure 60,000 opportunities for job-seekers. It pointed out that it had provided 148,543 jobs in 2014 in various sectors such as telecommunications, textile and construction.

The ministry is also expecting to begin negotiations for free trade agreements with the Eurasian Economic Union, as well as with African economic blocs such as COMESA, SADEC and EALA.

It also plans to sign the Mercusor agreement with Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay that seeks to boost bilateral trade with Latin America.

More decentralization is also sought during 2015 by granting the ministry’s Industrial Development Authority branch extra authorities in a bid to facilitate investors activities.