Egypt pushes for first Apple Store as part of broader investment talks

In the aftermath of a meeting between Egypt’s Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade and Apple’s Director of Government Affairs for the Middle East and Pakistan, Egypt is hoping to convince Apple to expand its footprint in the country.

Apple’s Answer? “Sure, I mean, we’ll see, yeah.”

Apple’s “key gateway”

As reported by Egyptian newspaper Ahram Portal (via AppleInsider), Egyptian Minister Hassan El-Khatib, met with Apple’s Omar El-Rifai, on June 2 to discuss future opportunities for collaboration.

As part of the conversation, El-Khatib formally invited Apple to open its first official Apple Store in the country.

El-Rifai, meanwhile, didn’t confirm or reject any plans for retail operations in the country, but did reaffirm the company’s strategic interest in Egypt, calling it a “key gateway” for Apple’s expansion into Africa and the Middle East. He also diplomatically emphasized Apple’s ongoing commitment to the local economy:

“El-Rifai added that the company places great importance on the Egyptian market and considers it a key gateway for expansion in Africa and the Middle East, affirming Apple’s commitment to supporting the Egyptian economy through the development of call centers and training centers, which will help create high-quality job opportunities.”

The spin

Per Ahram Portal’s report, the Ministry framed its talks with Apple as part of a broader strategy to attract “high-quality” foreign investment in Egypt’s economy and tech sector. Officials see Apple’s expanding presence as a potential contribution to the country’s ambition to become a regional hub for innovation.

As of 2025, Apple operates more than 500 stores worldwide, with new locations in fast-growing markets like India and China. Whether Egypt will actually join that list remains to be seen.