Egypt's SME Agency Boosts Small Businesses' Global Reach for New Export Markets

In line with Egypt's national strategy to make Egyptian products more competitive and open up exciting new export markets for small and medium-sized businesses, the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA) is really stepping up its involvement in regional and international exhibitions. These events are super important for marketing support and for helping business owners build their export capabilities. Basil Rahmy, the CEO of MSMEDA, highlighted that the agency is dedicated to offering all kinds of technical and marketing support to small businesses, no matter what they do. They make it easier for these businesses to join big international exhibitions. This opens up fresh marketing opportunities in both Arab and global markets, encourages the sharing of knowledge, improves the quality of Egyptian products, and ultimately helps them grow and expand sustainably. Rahmy shared these thoughts while small business owners, who are clients of the agency, were participating in the 49th Baghdad International Fair 2026. The fair, which ran from February 1st to 7th, brought together about 36 Arab and foreign countries. MSMEDA teamed up with the Egyptian General Authority for Exhibitions and Conferences for this event, showing a growing interest in the Iraqi market as a promising spot for Egyptian products. Rahmy explained that having Egyptian businesses participate in regional and international exhibitions perfectly matches the government's goals. These goals include strengthening trade, economic, and cultural ties with Arab countries, as well as supporting small and medium-sized businesses by giving them more export chances and helping them become a bigger part of regional supply chains. He also mentioned that when picking participants for international exhibitions, the agency makes sure to include as many industrial and production sectors as possible, with a special focus on traditional handicrafts. This is all part of putting the National Strategy for Heritage Crafts into action, a strategy launched by Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, the Prime Minister and Chairman of MSMEDA's Board, during the 'Turathna 2025' exhibition. This focus comes at a great time, as there's a growing demand for Egyptian handicraft products in regional markets because of their rich cultural value and competitive quality. Rahmy pointed out that the exhibitors at the Baghdad International Fair showcased a wide variety of sectors. These included home furnishings, household items, clothing and abayas, handicrafts, food industries, and even the chemical sector. They also featured unique products like items from Khan el-Khalili and delicious honey, which really highlights the diverse production capabilities of Egyptian small businesses and their ability to meet the needs of many different markets. The Egyptian pavilion at the fair received a visit from Commercial Counselor Samir Qureshi, who heads the Egyptian Commercial Office in Baghdad. He was joined by Mohamed El-Anzi, the Managing Director of Al-Sorouh Company, which organized the exhibition. Also present were Ahmed Salah, who oversees MSMEDA's pavilion, and Mahmoud Omar Haddad, the Director of the Egyptian pavilion. This visit really underscored how important institutional teamwork is for boosting Egypt's presence on the global stage. This well-organized and diverse presence shows MSMEDA's strategy of moving beyond just traditional support to offering more effective marketing and export assistance. The main goal is to empower small businesses to break into foreign markets and increase their contribution to non-petroleum exports, which in turn helps achieve economic growth and sustainable development for the country.