Small group of EGYAID Alumni – former graduates of the Partnering in Business with Germany programme met Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on 11 September at a reception in the German Embassy in Cairo.
Ahmed Fathelbab, CEO of the ElFateh steel company, has realised multiple projects with the Düsseldorf-based company Loesche GmbH, including the establishment of two cement factories in Rwanda and Liberia, following participation in the programme. By participating in the Partnering in Business with Germany programme, the Egyptian company was able to grow its exports from ten to 100 percent of its total revenue within five years. Together with an environmental engineer, Fathelbab has also founded Bidaya, which produces biofuel. This is one of the first factories in Egypt to produce bioethanol, and manufactures 5,000 tonnes of the fuel alternative yearly.
The development of another Egyptian company, 3Brothers for Lighting, by Odette Sadek has also been special. The company not only imports lighting technology from Germany, but also exports lighting technology back to Germany. After taking part in the programme, the company imported lighting technology from Germany via the companies bjb from Arnsberg in North Rhine-Westfalia and Vossloh-Schwabe from Schorndorf in Baden-Württemberg. 3Brothers is now exporting streetlights to Germany and has founded a German subsidiary.
