Arab Finance: The Investor Dispute Settlement Center at the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Hunan Sub-council of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT Hunan) to strengthen commercial and investment mediation and support Egyptian and Chinese companies’ international operations, as per a statement.
Under the MoU, the two sides will cooperate within their respective mandates to provide mediation services for commercial and investment disputes and encourage amicable settlements. They will also establish channels for exchanging information and legal consultations, provide mediation training and capacity-building opportunities, and jointly organize conferences, seminars, and visits.
The agreement extends to cooperation on corporate compliance and intellectual property protection for companies in both countries.
The signing followed the center’s participation on Saturday, October 17, in a Cairo seminar organized by the Chinese side on mechanisms for resolving commercial disputes between Hunan and Africa, with a focus on Egypt. Established within GAFI in 2009, the center has handled approximately 700 investor disputes through mediation, recording a 65% success rate, according to the statement.
The delegation’s visit coincided with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Egypt and China. It followed directives from Dr. Mohamed Farid Saleh, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, to deepen economic cooperation with international investment partners and keep them informed of changes in Egypt’s investment climate.
CCPIT Hunan, which promotes the province’s external economic and trade relations, was accompanied by representatives of Hunan’s Political and Legal Affairs Commission, the Hunan Law Society, the Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Service Center, and the Hunan Commercial Mediation Association.
During the meeting, Iman Mansour, Deputy CEO of GAFI and Director of the Investor Dispute Settlement Center, highlighted the scale of bilateral economic ties, noting that more than 3,300 Chinese companies operate in Egypt. She explained that these businesses contribute to the country’s development goals through job creation, export growth, and the localization of modern technology.
Mansour also outlined recent investment reforms, including the launch of the Economic Entities Platform and an electronic licensing portal. She described the initiatives as part of efforts to simplify investor procedures and improve the efficiency of government services provided to the private sector.
For her part, Qing Xiaoying, Vice President of CCPIT Hunan, expressed strong interest among Chinese institutions in investing across Egypt’s economy and expanding bilateral trade. She cited the successful experiences of Chinese businesses operating in Egypt and the support they have received from GAFI.
She added that Chinese economic entities are closely monitoring developments in Egypt’s infrastructure and economic policies, the expansion of free and investment zones, and the incentives available both to individual sectors and across the wider economy.
The meeting concluded with an exchange of commemorative gifts, followed by a tour led by Mansour of the Investor Services Center. The facility brings together representatives from 67 entities involved in investment matters, offering investors a comprehensive range of services under one roof.
