- August 21, 2025
- Posted by: Ahmed Abed
- Category: EN
SCZONE Chairman: “SCZONE targets creating integrated industrial clusters for green fuel industries and bunkering.”
Continuing the active contribution in the 9th edition of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9), held in Yokohama, Japan, Mr. Waleid Gamal El-Dien, The Chairman of the General Authority for the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE) was a keynote speaker at the fourth “Japan-Africa High-Quality Infrastructure” Conference. The conference was organized and opened by Mr. Hiromasa Nakano, Japan’s Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT). Attendees included Mr. Yuichi Miyamoto, Chairman of the Japan-Africa Infrastructure Development Association (JAIDA); Ms. Nardos Bekele-Thomas, CEO of the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD); Mr. Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation of Tanzania; and Eng. Joseph Mungai Mbugua, Principal Secretary of the State Department for Roads, Ministry of Roads and Transport of Kenya. The conference, which was also attended by officials from the Japan Overseas Infrastructure Investment Corporation, saw significant interest from participants in learning about Egypt’s efforts in infrastructure and utilities development.
During his keynote address at the conference, Mr. Waleid Gamal El-Dien stated: “Egypt places great importance on investing in all types of infrastructure and utilities. It provides full support to SCZONE, in addition to partnering and cooperating with the local and international private sector. This collaboration is crucial for implementing infrastructure and utility projects, whether in our affiliated seaports or our industrial and logistical zones, all in accordance with the highest international quality standards. These projects are the main pillars for attracting global investment in our targeted sectors and for maximizing the use of our natural and human resources, foremost among them being SCZONE’s strategic location as a nexus between different continents. This high level of infrastructure readiness is a key attractive element that adds to SCZONE’s competitive advantages and enables it to achieve its aspirations. SCZONE is always prepared for joint work with Japanese institutions, African government entities, and the private sector to build upon the significant achievements we have made in this field.”
On a related note, Mr. Waleid Gamal El-Dien and his accompanying delegation held an extensive meeting with officials from ACWA Power, a renewable energy company, and the Japanese corporation ITOCHU. The purpose was to discuss the activation of framework agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) signed between SCZONE and the two companies. The meeting was attended by Mr. Samuel Valderas, Business Development Director at ACWA Power; Mr. Takashi Kuroko, Head of Global Green Hydrogen at ACWA Power in Japan; and Mr. Yusuke Enomoto, Manager of the Green Innovation Business Unit in the Marine and Aerospace Division at ITOCHU. The meeting addressed advancing the cooperation to implement the previously signed framework agreement between SCZONE and ACWA Power, which specializes in various renewable energy industries and applications, including photovoltaic and concentrated solar power (CSP), geothermal, wind, waste-to-energy (WtE), and water desalination projects, as SCZONE works to localize the green fuel industry and its supplementary and feeding industries. The meeting also included a discussion on the executive steps to activate the MoU signed between SCZONE, ITOCHU, and Orascom Construction. This partnership aims to design, develop, and operate integrated facilities for ammonia bunkering for ships in the East Port Said and Sokhna ports, both affiliated with SCZONE, to reduce emissions in line with SCZONE’s strategic goals for a sustainable energy transition in the maritime transport sector.
Mr. Waleid Gamal El-Dien concluded his activities by participating in a panel discussion on the “Governments’ Strategy for Green Hydrogen Development in Africa,” moderated by Mr. Kataoka Susumu, President of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO). The panel included Mr. Kihara Shinichi, Director-General for Energy and Environmental Policy at Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI); Mr. Masopha Moshoeshoe, Renewable Energy and Green Hydrogen Advisor to the South African Minister of Electricity and Energy; and Mr. James Mnyupe, Head of the Green Hydrogen Programme in Namibia (NGH2P). The participants expressed keen interest in learning about the investment opportunities available in SCZONE in the field of green hydrogen and its feeding and complementary industries, as well as Egypt’s capacity to support the localization of this vital sector.
During his address at the panel discussion, Mr. Waleid Gamal El-Dien explained: “The Egyptian state is taking rapid steps towards localizing the green fuel industry and its various applications. This was translated into action with the launch of the National Green Hydrogen Strategy, which aims to transform Egypt into a regional and global hub for hydrogen production. In light of this, the Suez Canal Economic Zone has made effective moves in this regard. SCZONE achieved a global first by exporting the world’s first shipment of green ammonia in November 2023. I’d also like to highlight that during its trial production in July 2024, the Egypt Green Hydrogen plant in SCZONE’s Sokhna Integrated Zone won a €397 million supply contract in the H2Global auction to provide 72,000 tons of renewable ammonia to the European Union, starting in early 2027. Furthermore, our ports succeeded in bunkering the world’s first green fuel-powered vessel in August 2023. This demonstrates SCZONE’s capability to achieve global leadership in the production and use of green fuel in both the industrial and maritime sectors, and it confirms our position as an optimal destination for various green energy activities, thanks to our strategic location at the heart of international trade routes as a gateway to global markets.”
