At Egypt Forum 2026, held under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Civil Aviation Minister Dr. Sameh El-Hefny took part in the “Foreign Exchange Resources and Debt Management” session. He outlined state plans to develop Egyptian airports, strengthen air transport capacity, expand infrastructure and modernize national airline fleets, supporting inbound tourism and foreign-currency earnings in line with development targets through 2030.
El-Hefny said aviation was an important pillar of the national economy and foreign-currency resources. Egyptian airports receive more than 95% of inbound tourism traffic. The next phase, he explained, would focus on infrastructure development, operational efficiency and expanded capacity to accommodate expected growth in passenger and aircraft movements and support sustainable growth.
The minister revealed that the civil aviation sector generated $4.8 billion in fiscal year 2025–2026, before accounting for anticipated returns from future expansion plans. He said this reflected the sector’s importance to foreign-currency earnings and the role of continued operational and investment development in maximizing economic returns and strengthening Egypt’s regional and international competitiveness.
He added that aviation offered promising opportunities to increase its contribution to the economy through infrastructure expansion, airport development, larger airline fleets, and growth in tourism and air cargo.
The session was attended by Central Bank of Egypt Governor Hassan Abdalla; Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk; Planning and Economic Development Minister Dr. Ahmed Rostom; Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy; Investment and Foreign Trade Minister Dr. Mohamed Farid Saleh; and Suez Canal Authority Chairman Admiral Osama Rabie, alongside experts and specialists. Broadcaster Dina Salem moderated the session.
