IT WILL BE
A GOOD AND
FRUITFUL TIME
President of Pomeranian Special Economic Zone Aleksandra
Jankowska talks to "Polish Market" about the agreement with the
Suez Canal Economic Zone and development opportunities for Polish
companies.
Just a month ago, the Pomeranian Special
Economic Zone (PSSE) initiated cooperation
with a Egyptian Economic Zone. How did
this happen?
For several months we had been talking with
the Egyptian side to work out the best possible
plan for the development of both institutions
and countries. Our partners established contact
with us not only because of the openness and
dynamism of the Pomeranian Special Economic
Zone in building international business relations,
but also because of our cooperation on the New
Silk Road project. This resulted from the need to
join forces on the matter of freight handling and
logistics centres, because, as it has been repeatedly
stressed by the Egyptian side, the Pomeranian
Special Economic Zone lies both on the overland
and maritime Silk Road. In Poland, we are the
first economic zone, which saw a chance for the
Polish economy and Polish companies using the
potential of the Suez Canal and the economic zone
associated with it.
PM
Tell us what exactly the two sides are
interested in? What new initiatives are
waiting for Poland?
Both from an economic and geopolitical
point of view, the situation of the Suez Canal is
strategically important. And so we should take
this agreement. The chances that are created by the
established cooperation with Egypt could, in the
near future, bring tangible, positive effects not only
for the Pomeranian Zone. The most important
challenge for me, on the implementation of which
I will be working very hard, is to build the Polish
Industrial Park in Egypt. I think that the creation
of a logistics centre with the participation of Polish
companies in the middle of the Silk Road is the
opportunity next to which we simply cannot walk
on by. Signing the agreement brings benefits for
the whole region, provides opportunities not only
PM
24 polish marketspecial edition 2017
From left: Director for International Economic Relations at the Pomeranian Special Economic Zone Marta Dargas
Draganik, Egypt’s Ambassador to Poland Hosam Alkaweesh, Chairman of the General Authority for Suez Canal
Economic Zone Ahmed Darwish, President of the Pomeranian Special Economic Zone Aleksandra Jankowska,
Commercial Counsellor and Head of the Commercial Office at the Egyptian Embassy in Poland Abdelaziz Elsherif,
and Director of the Gdańsk Science and Technology Park Artur Badeński
for exports, but also in the production and sale
of Polish goods on the Silk Road. Our country
will also benefit in the scope of the Egyptian
investment in the Pomeranian Special Economic
Zone, as the devaluation of the Egyptian currency
has contributed to a significant increase in interest
in doing business in the European Union.
And what does the Egyptian side expect in
return?
As Dr Ahmed Darwish, Chairman of the
Suez Canal Economic Zone, said during our
latest meeting – it is a win-win situation. Polish
industry will be able to anchor in the African
and Arabic markets, and Egypt will benefit from
Polish technological innovations in the field of
petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, agriculture
and shipbuilding. Not without significance for
our partners is also Polish food, the quality of
which is touted around the world. In Egypt, the
most popular are our cheese and apples.
PM
And what will the future bring? What will
be the next step?
The agreement signed by the Pomeranian
Special Economic Zone is the beginning of,
I hope, long-term cooperation. A working group
that will be responsible for the implementation
of the plan discussed has been established in
order to implement the agreed undertakings.
We also intend to organize a trade mission
with the participation of Polish entrepreneurs
interested in starting their investment project in
the region of the Suez Canal. I think that 2017 will
be a good and fruitful time for the development
of economic relations between Poland and
Egypt. I am convinced that all initiatives and
meetings at the governmental level, which will
occur in the near future, including a visit to
Poland by Minister of Trade and Industry of
the Arab Republic of Egypt Mr Tarek Kabil
will strengthen economic relations between the
countries.
•
PM