United States Department of State

Egypt United States Department of State

The Government of Egypt has declared investment, including foreign investment, a top priority. President Sisi's technocratic cabinet of economic ministers has supported this policy through a series of recent pro-business reforms, including a third party contract appeal law prohibiting third party interference in state-investor contracts; a competition law; and a presidential decree reforming Egypt's 1997 Investment Law by trimming customs duties, expanding corporate veil protection, establishing additional forums for investor-state disputes, and setting the foundation for a true one-stop business registration shop. Additional upcoming reforms promised by the government include a VAT tax, simplified bankruptcy proceedings, a companies law, amendments to the capital markets law, a new insurance law, and a land management framework. In March 2015 Egypt organized a major investment conference, the Egypt Economic Development Conference (EEDC). The conference highlighted reforms and upcoming investments and was seen by many as an affirmation of the country's new pro-investment policy.