Egypt’s Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI) chief, Mokhtar Abdel Latif, held talks with DR Congo’s army chief, Lieutenant General Banza Mwilambwe Jules, speaking during their meeting in Cairo, Egypt. Photo courtesy of AOI.
The meeting reflects Egypt’s efforts to deepen industrial partnerships across Africa and expand exports, while positioning the AOI as a platform for technology transfer and joint production in key sectors.
Abdel Latif welcomed the Congolese delegation, led by Ambassador Jean-Baptiste Kasongo Musenga. Talks focused on using AOI’s manufacturing capabilities to support development projects and meet the Democratic Republic of Congo’s defence and security needs.
He emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation with African partners in line with directives from President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi to advance economic integration and open new export markets across the continent.
Abdel Latif also highlighted the strength of ties between Egypt and the DR Congo and the importance of expanding defence industry cooperation, adding that the AOI is keen to take part in development projects in the country.
During a tour of AOI’s product exhibition, Mwilambwe Jules said his country was keen to expand cooperation with Egypt across industrial and development sectors, stressing the need to coordinate efforts to develop local manufacturing of advanced technologies.
He described the AOI as Egypt’s industrial backbone and expressed appreciation for the visit, highlighting the potential for a deeper partnership between the two countries.
The talks come as Egypt seeks to position itself as a regional hub for defence manufacturing and industrial cooperation, with the AOI playing a central role in both military production and civilian industries, including transport, energy, and digital solutions.
In recent years, Cairo has stepped up efforts to expand economic and industrial partnerships across Africa, focusing on boosting exports, transferring technology, and promoting joint manufacturing, particularly following its 2019 African Union chairmanship.
State-backed entities such as the AOI have been at the forefront of this strategy, targeting African markets as key destinations for Egyptian industrial output.
Defence cooperation has become a key entry point for these partnerships, with Egypt using military ties, including training, equipment supply, and maintenance, to support broader industrial and development cooperation.
These efforts were highlighted at the Egypt Defence Expo (EDEX 2025) in Cairo, where Egypt showcased its growing domestic defence manufacturing base and emphasized a shift towards joint production and technology transfer rather than traditional arms sales.
The exhibition, one of the largest of its kind in Africa and the Middle East, has become a platform for defence cooperation, bringing together international and African delegations to discuss partnerships and explore industrial cooperation.
Within this approach, Egypt is increasingly promoting local manufacturing in partner countries, offering not only products but also integrated solutions that include training, maintenance, and potential local assembly or production.
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