OECD Investment Policy Reviews: Egypt 2007

Having adhered to the OECD Declaration on International Investment and Multinational Enterprises in July 2007, Egypt undertook a thorough review by OECD members of its international investment policies using the Policy Framework for Investment. This publication presents the results of this review. It finds that international investors responded quickly to the government’s policy reform efforts: foreign direct investment (FDI) into Egypt increased eightfold in just three years, diversifying away from the petroleum sector and bringing much-needed investment to a broad range of manufacturing and service industries. However, the review also shows that investment climate reforms take time and many challenges still lie ahead. These include ongoing efforts to phase out unnecessary sectoral restrictions on investment, maintaining the momentum for broadening the privatisation programme and encouraging entrepreneurship by promoting transparency, accountability and competition.