The Industrial Transition Accelerator (ITA) has entered into a significant partnership with Egypt’s Industrial Modernization Center (IMC), under the Ministry of Industry, to drive sustainable industrial projects across the region. This collaboration aims to reduce carbon emissions and enhance industrial sustainability within the MENA region.
The partnership agreement was signed in the presence of prominent officials including His Excellency Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and ITA Co-Chair, Lieutenant General Engineer Kamel Al-Wazir, Egypt’s Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport, and Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade. The agreement was signed by Omar Suwaina Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, on behalf of ITA, and Duaa Salima, Executive Director of IMC, on behalf of Egypt.
The MENA region has a unique opportunity to lead global sustainable industrial practices, driven by its rapidly growing industrial sector and rich natural resources. This partnership marks a new chapter in the ITA’s mission to enhance regional cooperation and develop innovative, low-carbon industrial solutions that will boost both regional and global sustainability.
Strategic Focus on Industrial Sustainability
The ITA aims to bring together industry leaders, governments, and financial institutions to accelerate decarbonization in high-emitting sectors such as aluminium, cement, chemicals, steel, aviation, and shipping. The partnership with Egypt is a critical step in expanding and supporting green industrial projects, significantly reducing the industrial sector’s carbon footprint. Egypt becomes the third country to join the ITA’s MENA Programme, following the UAE and Bahrain.
Egypt’s strategic position, energy infrastructure, and growing renewable energy capacity make it a key player in the MENA region’s sustainable industrial future. The country’s industrial sector is crucial to its economy, contributing significantly to GDP. Egypt’s national industrial strategy aims to increase this contribution from 14% to 20% by 2030, with a focus on building a green economy. Through the ITA’s support, Egypt is well-positioned to meet Europe’s demand for low-carbon industrial commodities.
A Commitment to Reducing Carbon Emissions
Duaa Salima, Executive Director of the IMC, expressed her enthusiasm for the new partnership, emphasizing the importance of reducing carbon emissions from the heavy-emitting industries and transport sectors. The MoU between ITA and IMC facilitates technical knowledge exchange and supports a range of projects aimed at accelerating the path to final investment decisions for carbon reduction initiatives.
The UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) and ITA will collaborate to identify and support major industrial projects, with the goal of fast-tracking their investment decisions and ensuring that they become operational by 2030. These projects will align with climate objectives set under the Paris Agreement.
Expanding ITA’s Regional Influence
Faustine Delasalle, Executive Director of ITA, noted that Egypt’s energy infrastructure and renewable energy capacity, combined with its close trade relations with the EU, make the country an ideal leader in the region for low-carbon industrial goods. The partnership with Egypt adds momentum to the growing success of the ITA’s MENA Programme.
The ITA has already established successful country partnerships, working with governments and local organizations to provide tailored support for green industrial projects. The ITA’s efforts have already identified over 45 projects with investment opportunities exceeding USD 100 billion, and the organization plans to accelerate decarbonization across the MENA region by addressing key barriers and encouraging investment in low-emission industrial solutions.
Through strategic collaborations and targeted project support, the ITA aims to foster sustainable industrial growth in the MENA region and accelerate the region’s transition toward a low-carbon, resilient future.
