Scotland and Egypt Forge New Business Ties Through SABA–EBCC Agreement

The Scottish Africa Business Association (SABA) and the Egyptian British Chamber of Commerce (EBCC) have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the prestigious All-Energy Conference 2025, setting the stage for a transformative partnership between Scotland and Egypt. The agreement is aimed at significantly strengthening bilateral trade, investment, and innovation exchange between the two nations across multiple sectors, with a strong emphasis on renewable energy, maritime infrastructure, and education.

A Strategic Partnership for Growth

This MOU marks a milestone in Scotland's ongoing commitment to expanding its global economic outreach, particularly across Africa. The collaboration will see SABA and EBCC jointly spearheading a variety of strategic initiatives throughout the upcoming year. These include facilitating Egyptian business delegations to Scotland, co-hosting knowledge-sharing webinars, and uniting their efforts for the renowned Scotland London Africa Week, SABA’s flagship annual event that brings together stakeholders from across Africa and the UK.

Crucially, plans are already underway for a Scottish trade mission to Egypt in 2026, providing Scottish enterprises with a unique opportunity to engage directly with Egyptian counterparts and explore investment and collaboration opportunities in one of Africa’s fastest-evolving markets.

Egypt: A Hub of Opportunity for Scottish Enterprises

Egypt has emerged as a leading economic power on the African continent, offering diverse prospects for Scottish companies. With the country’s strong push toward becoming a regional leader in green hydrogen production and decarbonisation, it presents significant demand for Scottish expertise in renewable technologies, sustainable engineering solutions, and innovation. Egypt's robust development agenda in hydrogen and other clean energy forms resonates strongly with Scotland’s world-leading capabilities in the field.

Beyond the energy sector, Egypt's strategic geographic location as a key maritime hub—courtesy of the Suez Canal—adds another layer of importance to this partnership. Scottish firms specialising in shipbuilding, marine logistics, port development, and offshore engineering are well positioned to contribute meaningfully to Egypt’s evolving maritime landscape.

A Shared Vision for Education and Capacity Building

The partnership also places strong emphasis on education and skills development. Egypt’s youthful and growing population has fueled an increased demand for high-quality training and educational programmes, a need that aligns closely with Scotland’s renowned institutions in higher education and vocational training. This collaboration opens doors for Scottish universities, colleges, and training providers to support Egypt’s human capital development goals through capacity building, knowledge exchange, and tailored educational initiatives.

Voices of Leadership: A Shared Enthusiasm

Seona Shand, Chief Operating Officer at SABA, expressed strong optimism about the MOU’s potential. “We are delighted to formalise this partnership with the Egyptian British Chamber of Commerce, which will open up exciting opportunities for Scottish businesses in one of Africa’s most dynamic and strategic markets. Egypt is a key player on the continent, particularly in sectors where Scotland has world-leading expertise — hydrogen, renewable and traditional energy, maritime, and education and skills training.”

She further highlighted the relevance of Scotland’s technological and educational strengths in meeting Egypt’s development aspirations, adding, “With Egypt’s ambitious plans for green hydrogen and decarbonisation, there’s huge potential for collaboration with Scottish innovators and technology providers.”

Mark Lawrence, Chief Executive of the EBCC, echoed this sentiment, stating, “This MOU marks the beginning of a promising collaboration between our two organisations. We see significant potential to connect Egyptian and Scottish businesses, share expertise and develop mutually beneficial partnerships across key sectors. We look forward to working closely with SABA to deliver impactful activities over the coming months.”

Looking Ahead: A Foundation for Sustainable Collaboration

This MOU is more than just a formal agreement — it reflects a forward-thinking approach to economic cooperation, mutual growth, and cross-border partnership. Through joint events, missions, and collaborative programming, the alliance between SABA and EBCC is set to foster stronger ties between the business communities of Scotland and Egypt.

As Scotland continues to deepen its engagement across the African continent, such alliances will play a pivotal role in driving inclusive trade and investment. The SABA–EBCC partnership is expected to not only unlock new business opportunities but also create a foundation for long-term, sustainable collaboration that benefits both countries.