Russia approved draft agreement between the governments of Russia and Egypt on setting up the Russian Industrial Zone in the Suez Canal Economic Zone and providing for its operation.
According to the agreement Russian Industrial Zone (RIZ) will be located in the East Port Said region to the north of the Suez Canal and provide for operation with Russian companies to launch local manufacturing and promote high technology products in the high-potential markets of the Middle East and Africa.
The main purpose of the RIZ is to create synergies with Russian projects that are in the pipeline, including the construction of the nuclear power plant al-Dabaa, supply railway carriages for Egyptian National Railways, upgrade the Egyptian rail network and Helwan Iron Foundries, and supply goods for the automotive industry, shipbuilding, transport, agricultural and special machine engineering.