site.btaIn Cairo, Economy Minister Dilov Meets with Egypt’s Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Affairs, Defense Minister

Egypt is a key and strategic partner of Bulgaria in the Middle East and North Africa region, Economy Minister Petar Dilov in Cairo, meeting with Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Affairs Kamel Al Wazir, and Minister of Defense and Military Production Gen. Abdul Mageed Sakr, Dilov’s ministry said.

During the meetings, the sides discussed opportunities for deepening industrial cooperation in a number of areas of mutual interest, such as the automotive sector, the defence industry, and transport. It was noted that in 2026 Bulgaria and Egypt will mark 100 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, a partnership that in recent decades has become a strategic priority for both countries, the statement said.

“Egypt is our country’s largest trading partner in the Middle East and Africa region,” Minister Dilov said.

It was also noted that in recent years economic relations between the two countries have been growing increasingly active and are developing on a stable foundation.

At the meeting with Egypt’s Minister of Defense and Military Production, Gen. Sakr, the sides noted that there has been a significant increase in bilateral trade in defense products. The possibility of strengthening cooperation in various areas of military production between the two countries, including technology transfer and expertise, was also discussed. Minister Sakr said that Bulgaria is a friendly country and that Egypt values the good cooperation.

The bilateral meeting took place within the framework off the EDEX 2025 Egypt Defence Expo, in which 10 Bulgarian companies from the defence industry are participating this year.

Minister Dilov congratulated the Egyptian defense minister on the good organization of the exhibition and invited him to visit the International Hemus Exhibition for Defence Equipment and Services, which will be held on June 3–6, 2026 in Plovdiv.

Bulgaria’s Ambassador to Egypt, Deyan Katrachev, also took part in the meetings.

In Cairo, the second session of the Bulgaria–Egypt Intergovernmental Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation was held, the first in nearly six years, the Ministry of Economy said on Wednesday. At the session, the sides agreed to deepen cooperation in areas such as trade, the defence industry, energy, agriculture and the food industry, tourism, digitalization, and information and communication technologies.