According to Stuglev, this gives strong impetus to dialogue between the two nations at the business, ministerial, and government levels.
Ahram Online: Bilateral relations are at the highest level. How do you assess the prospects for strengthening this cooperation?
Alexander Stuglev: Egypt's participation as the guest country at the 25th anniversary edition of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in 2022 was a landmark moment.
During the forum, a dedicated session titled Russia-Egypt was held, where opportunities for cooperation were discussed in areas such as trade, investment, logistics, industry, and tourism.
The Egyptian delegation, led by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and including key ministers and representatives of the business community, demonstrated a high level of mutual interest and readiness to expand cooperation.
As the organizer of major international events such as SPIEF, the Eastern Economic Forum, and the Russia-Africa Summit, the Roscongress Foundation offers a reliable infrastructure for continuing this dialogue.
We will continue to promote stronger ties between government and business representatives of both countries and develop formats that facilitate the launch of joint projects, experience exchange, and business integration.
This year, we hope that some Egyptian ministers will visit this conference along with many Egyptian businessmen.
There should be a special session about cooperation between Russia and African countries. Egypt is clearly a historically important gateway for Russia to Africa and the Middle East.
SPIEF will give representatives of Egyptian and Russian businesses a new opportunity to make connections and possibly conclude new contracts.
AO: What role can the Roscongress Foundation play in strengthening bilateral ties?
AS: The Roscongress Foundation has extensive experience working with international associations such as BRICS, SCO, and the EAEU.
In 2024, the foundation operated Russia’s BRICS chairmanship events, including preparing and hosting the summit.
Previously, in 2020, the foundation also organized the BRICS summit and related events.
BRICS and SCO business forums are a regular part of SPIEF’s business programme, providing a venue for multilateral dialogue and practical cooperation.
With Egypt joining BRICS in 2024, the foundation is well-positioned to integrate Egyptian partners into the current business agenda.
We are ready to facilitate Egypt’s participation in Roscongress events and further develop bilateral cooperation within international integration frameworks.
AO: Could you elaborate on the activities and goals of the Roscongress Foundation?
AS: The Roscongress Foundation is a socially oriented non-financial development institution and the largest organizer of national and international business, exhibition, cultural, youth, and sports events.
It was established in 2007 by decree of the president of the Russian Federation to support the development of the country’s economic potential, promote national interests abroad, and enhance Russia’s positive image.
The foundation’s key objectives include comprehensively studying and analyzing Russian and global economic agendas, generating expert evaluations, creating conditions for business promotion, and attracting investment.
We also pay special attention to supporting social entrepreneurship, public initiatives, and charitable projects.
Roscongress events bring together representatives from 209 countries and territories. Tens of thousands of people attend our forums and events annually, including business leaders, government officials, experts, and more than 15,000 media representatives.
Over 5,000 experts from Russia and other countries contribute to the foundation’s analytical work.
We create modern formats for effective communication with international partners and constantly seek advanced dialogue solutions.
This year, SPIEF will host the debut of a new initiative, the Roscongress International Business Networking Area, designed to offer the most comfortable and productive conditions for foreign participants.
We aim to create a unified, concentrated exposition and dialogue ecosystem for government officials, public figures, business leaders, experts, and representatives of international and intergovernmental organizations from Russia and abroad.
The foundation actively collaborates with UN structures and other international organizations, partners with 212 foreign trade and business associations from 86 countries, and cooperates with 293 Russian public organizations and all levels of government, federal and regional.
Thus, today the Roscongress Foundation is a multifunctional platform that unites government, business, and civil society to promote sustainable and constructive development within Russia and internationally.
AO: Russia and Egypt hold beneficial cooperation. Will the foundation participate in any upcoming bilateral meetings in 2025?
AS: Indeed, the pace of Russian-Egyptian dialogue and regular bilateral meetings on various areas of cooperation has reached a new level in recent years.
The Roscongress Foundation actively participated in the Meeting of the Russian-Egyptian Joint Commission on Trade, Economic, and Scientific-Technical Cooperation, which was held from 13 to 14 May in Moscow.
On our side, we plan to create dialogue opportunities within key congress and exhibition events to ensure the rapid and effective implementation of planned initiatives.
Upcoming events include Egyptian delegations' participation in the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum, the “Let’s Travel!” International Tourism Forum, and the Caucasus Investment Forum.
AO: Egypt regularly participates in SPIEF. Could you highlight key agreements signed between our countries during previous editions of SPIEF?
AS: In recent years, SPIEF has consistently strengthened the Russia-Egypt dialogue in various areas, from industrial cooperation to logistics and finance.
While key agreements between Russian and Egyptian entities are signed on various international platforms, SPIEF plays a vital role in strategic discussions and future decisions.
For example, during SPIEF 2019, the Roscongress Foundation signed a cooperation agreement with the Egyptian Exporters Association Expolink to develop business ties and participate in international exhibitions.
Egypt has also been a key participant in Roscongress events. Outcomes in SPIEF 2022, where Egypt was the guest country, include the development of investment cooperation and innovation, the construction of the El-Dabaa nuclear power plant, the advancement of the Russian Industrial Zone project in the Suez Canal area, the modernization of Egypt’s railway infrastructure with Russian involvement, and the discussion of Russia-Egypt-East Africa logistics corridors.
In SPIEF 2023, Egypt participated in an outreach session in Abu Dhabi, Russia-Middle East: Cooperation for Growth, development of tourism routes, financial cooperation and settlements, and cultural exchanges and business missions.
In SPIEF 2024, discussions included deepening sectoral dialogue, financial settlements, transitioning to settlements in rubles and Egyptian pounds, and the agro-industrial complex, including talks between Russian and Egyptian agriculture ministers on supply chains and food security.
Thus, SPIEF serves as a platform for signing agreements and a vital mechanism for preliminary negotiations, aligning interests, and launching new cooperation initiatives between Russia and Egypt.
AO: Egypt has shown great interest in developments and urbanization. Does the foundation have sectoral initiatives with Egypt in this field?
AS: The Roscongress Foundation runs a sectoral initiative called Urban Hub, a platform for discussing sustainable urban development, innovative urban planning solutions, and digitalization of the urban environment.
This space brings together government officials, businesses, architects, developers, and experts to work on master plans, new design standards, and smart infrastructure solutions.
Urban Hub formats include strategic sessions, architectural workshops, public discussions, and presentations of sustainable urban environment concepts.
The Urban Hub platform covers key topics at SPIEF and other foundation events, from integrated territory development and intelligent transportation systems to digital utilities management and ESG-aligned standards implementation.
Given Egypt’s large-scale projects in new city construction and urban infrastructure modernization, Urban Hub can be a practical entry point for cooperation, experience exchange, and partnership engagement.
The Roscongress Foundation is open to dialogue and ready to provide organizational and analytical support.
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