The three-day Pharmaconex Exhibition 2024, which concluded in the Egyptian capital Cairo on Tuesday, has become an important platform for strengthening partnerships between Egyptian and Chinese firms in the field of pharmaceuticals, business insiders said.
The 11th edition of the exhibition featured pharmaceutical products, equipment, technologies, and services from more than 200 companies worldwide, including more than 40 from China and companies from Egypt, India, the United States, Italy, France, Belgium, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates.
Shanghai-based Tofflon, a regular exhibitor at Pharmaconex, views Egypt as a gateway to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
"We have been participating in Pharmaconex for more than a decade. It is a very attractive event in the pharmaceutical industry not just in Egypt but across the MENA region," said Pang Guanhua, Tofflon's general manager for the MENA region, adding his company views the exhibition as "one of the biggest marketing activities in the region."
"The Egyptian pharmaceutical market is developing rapidly after the COVID-19 pandemic. That's why we continue to put our efforts and our new technology into the market," Pang told Xinhua outside Tofflon's booth.
This year's event was held under the patronage of the Egyptian Drug Authority (EDA).
"China is a very important country for us, from where we import a large number of industrial inputs that we depend on," said Yasin Ragaey, EDA assistant chairman for media affairs, community engagement, and investment support in the pharmaceutical sector.
"There are already partnerships between Egyptian private companies and Chinese suppliers, covering raw materials, packaging, and production machines," said Ragaey.
Feng Yiyu, general manager of Geevo, noted that despite it being its first time at Pharmaconex, the Zhejiang-based sterilizer producer has had an agent in Egypt and its products have been available in the Egyptian market for about a decade.
Feng highlighted that the growing cooperation between China and Egypt under the Belt and Road Initiative had facilitated business cooperation between pharmaceutical firms from both sides.
Chem-Tech, an Egyptian firm that imports spare parts from China, showcased a diverse array of its equipment at its booth.
"We cooperate with our Chinese brothers by importing spare parts for our equipment. For example, we import the silicon carbide heaters for our muffles from China, as well as some components for our locally manufactured control panels, and other accessories," the company's Chairman Ahmed Al-Sharkawy said.
Businessmen are not the only participants of the exhibition. Students from across Egypt also came to the event to look for job opportunities.
Samaa Ashraf, a university student learning pharmaceutics, came all the way from Upper Egypt's Asyut Province to the event to prepare for her future career.
She said that China is a leading player in the pharmaceutical field, especially in packaging, devices, and active ingredients.
"The strong relations between Egypt and China will surely contribute to the transfer of China's expertise and technology in the pharmaceutical field to Egypt, which will be beneficial to us," said Ashraf.
