Egypt wants Austria to set up a logistics zone in the SCZone as an export base into Arab and African markets

Egypt has proposed setting up a dedicated Austrian logistics zone inside the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone), which would allow Austrian exporters to move goods into Arab and African markets, according to a statement. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly raised the idea with Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker during a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. The proposal remains at an early stage — no investment value or timeline has been disclosed yet.

IN CONTEXT- The country is building out a roster of country-specific zones inside the SCZone. The SCZone last year awarded AD Ports a 50-year agreement to develop the 20 sq km Kezad East Port Said industrial and logistics zone. Egypt and Turkey also discussed establishing a Turkish industrial zone in the Suez Canal area last month, while China already has a long-established manufacturing foothold through Teda-Egypt in Sokhna and is continuing to expand its industrial presence there. Russia is also moving ahead with its own industrial zone in the SCZone.

Trade, in numbers: Austria exported EUR 3.6 bn worth of goods to MENA in 2025, with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Israel being its three biggest export destinations in the region. Austrian exports to Egypt reached EUR 132.1 mn in 1H 2026, while imports from Egypt rose 21.8% y-o-y to EUR 80.6 mn, according to the Austrian Economic Chamber data (pdf).