https://arab.news/92cmm
JEDDAH: Egypt and Qatar are set to deepen economic ties, with the North African country’s recent labor law reforms aimed at attracting Gulf investment and improving the business environment.
Egypt’s Minister of Labor, Mohamed Abdel Aziz Gibran, met in Cairo with Mohamed bin Ahmed Al-Obaidli, a board member of the Qatar Chamber, to discuss boosting bilateral economic cooperation and encouraging Qatari investors to enter the Egyptian market.
The two sides also reviewed Egypt’s labor law and discussed ways to tackle challenges facing investors in the country’s labor market, according to the Qatar News Agency.
In mid-April, the two countries agreed to pursue a package of $7.5 billion in direct Qatari investments. The move comes as Egypt steps up efforts to secure funding from Gulf neighbors and other foreign partners to address high foreign debt and a large budget deficit.
“During the discussions, HE the Minister reviewed the latest amendments to the Egyptian Labor Law, which include the establishment of an emergency fund to support workers and struggling companies, as well as the creation of an entity dedicated to training and upgrading workers’ skills,” QNA reported.
It added that the Egyptian official said the new law seeks to create a more favorable work environment and promote a stable, secure climate for investors in Egypt.
The meeting also reviewed the outcomes of Gibran’s recent visit to Qatar, during which he met with representatives of the Qatari private sector.
“The visit resulted in positive understandings aimed at strengthening cooperation in the fields of labor, training, and employment,” the QNA report added.
Al-Obaidli praised the strong fraternal ties between the countries, emphasizing the Qatar Chamber’s commitment to broadening cooperation across economic, commercial, and investment sectors.
Egypt enacted Labor Law No. 14 of 2025, which took effect on Sept. 1, fully replacing previous labor legislation.
The law introduces a wide range of reforms designed to modernize labor relations, enhance workers’ rights, and align with international labor standards.
It requires employers to provide annual salary increments, recognizes modern work arrangements such as remote work, part-time roles, flexible hours, and job sharing, and obliges them to contribute to a workforce training fund.
The law also updates notice periods for resignations, extends maternity and paternity leave provisions, allows longer childcare leave, and regulates annual leave entitlements, including special provisions for disabled employees.