Egypt Plans 10 Steel Technical Schools, Weighs Steel Department

Egypt will establish 10 technical schools for steel-industry workers and is studying a dedicated steel department inside the Ministry of Industry, Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly said on Tuesday. Both moves sit within a push to strengthen domestic manufacturing and lift industrial output.

The proposed department would link the ministry with the chamber representing steel companies. Its remit covers economic and technical studies, tracking market developments, advising businesses and anticipating industry challenges. Madbouly framed the goal as tighter coordination between government and producers.

Technical schools with European accreditation

The schools are being set up with private-sector partners and will offer local and European accreditations. Graduates are to be prepared for work in Egypt, in other Arab countries and in international markets. The initiative aligns with Egypt's industrial development strategy and Vision 2030, which aim to raise industry's share of GDP to about 30% by 2030.

Protectionism and trade defence

Madbouly stressed the need for an integrated steel industry that links raw materials to finished products. He warned that rising protectionism worldwide is diverting steel trade from more protected markets to less restrictive ones, increasing pressure on domestic industries.

Egypt will act to protect its steel producers where legally justified, he said. Planned measures include action against dumping, action against unfair subsidies and safeguards against import surges, all intended to ensure fair competition, safeguard investments and shield domestic products from practices that violate international trade rules.

He was speaking at the 19th Arab Steel Summit and Exhibition, organised by the Arab Iron and Steel Union and held in Cairo on November 3-4. Ministers, senior government officials, Arab iron and steel executives and international steel technology suppliers took part.

Industry Minister Khaled Hashem said the global steel industry faces shifting trade patterns, difficulties securing energy and raw materials, and intensifying competition. He described steel as a cornerstone of industrial development, citing its importance to construction, infrastructure, engineering and automotive manufacturing.

His ministry's updated industrial strategy centres on expanding local manufacturing, increasing value-added production, boosting exports, attracting new investment and accelerating the adoption of modern technologies. Hashem said steel producers must adapt to technological and environmental changes.

The European Union is moving toward implementing its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, which imposes carbon-related costs on imports of emissions-intensive products including steel. Hashem said Arab countries could strengthen regional supply chains through joint investments and technology transfers, and should build on their competitive advantages rather than compete in the same industries.

Ahmed Ezz, chairman of the Arab Iron and Steel Union, said Arab countries produce about 44 million tons of steel a year, a total that would rank sixth worldwide if the region were treated as a single bloc. The union, he said, has supported Arab steel cooperation for more than 50 years and holds its annual summit in different Arab capitals.

Hashem inaugurated the International Iron and Steel Exhibition running alongside the summit, which features companies and institutions from across the Arab world.

Training and trade defence answer different problems. The schools supply workers who can run and maintain plants; the tariffs and safeguards give producers room against imports priced below local cost. How much either buys depends on the carbon levy in Europe, where the cost of exporting steel is set to change, and on whether Arab producers can shift from competing on volume to sharing supply chains.