Under the theme title “Pharmacy Expo 2018”, a pharmaceutical fair opened in Cairo yesterday, 3 March, and runs till tomorrow, 5 March, at Fairmont Hotel in Cairo. At more than 10,000 visitors, it is among the largest events that gather members of the pharmaceutical sector in Egypt, the Middle East and Africa.
The Facebook page of Pharmacy Expo 2018 describes it as an exhibition that includes programmes and workshops for pharmacists and workers in the pharmaceutical field, as well as decision makers concerned with purchases, helping them make the best decisions at the most appropriate time. It also promotes bilateral trade relations in the pharmaceutical field between Egypt and other countries.
According to Muhammad Mustafa, executive-manager of Pharmacy Expo 2018, the international forum aims at attracting investors from Arab and African countries, as well as Eastern Europe, interested in the medicine, personal hygiene, and cosmetics industry. This, Mr Mustafa said, should benefit the Egyptian pharmaceutical industry.
He said that Egyptian commercial representation bureaus abroad have played a distinct role in attracting support for this year’s Expo, especially from United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Iraq, Switzerland, Nigeria, Congo, Romania and Zambia.
According to figures issued by the Egyptian Export Council for Pharmaceuticals and Cosmetics, Egyptian pharmaceutical exports rose by more than 15 per cent during the first six months of 2017, reaching USD260 million compared to USD220 million during the first six months of 2016.
Mr Mustafa said that official figures indicate that investment in pharmaceutical sector in Egypt reached EGP1.2 billion. He said Egypt already had 123 factories operating in the pharmaceutical market, employing 300,000 workers. Foreign investment in the sector amounts to some 40 per cent of the total investment revealing, he said, that Egypt is the largest producer and exporter of pharmaceuticals in the MENA region.
Watani International
4 March 2018