Egypt-Senegal: President Diomaye Faye opens new avenues of cooperation October 3, 2026
On the sidelines of the Alamein-Africa Business Forum, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye held multiple audiences on Saturday with Egyptian economic leaders. Air transport, training, freight and trade financing were at the heart of these discussions.
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s stay in Egypt takes a resolutely economic turn. In El-Alamein, the Head of State devoted, according to the presidency’s communication, part of his agenda to meetings with leaders of the Egyptian private and financial sector, with the objective of strengthening economic relations between Dakar and Cairo. Among the main audiences this Saturday is that granted to Hussein Sherif Fahmi, president and CEO of Air Cairo, Egypt’s second largest airline. The discussions focused on the project to resume a direct air link between Cairo and Dakar, currently in preparation by the Egyptian company.
Air Cairo wants to support Air Senegal
The meeting was not limited to the question of air service. Air Cairo also declared itself willing to support Air Senegal in the training of its engineers, mechanics and cabin crew. The Egyptian company is also considering opening a cargo line between Egypt and Senegal, in order to support trade between the two countries. For Hussein Sherif Fahmi, the geographical position of Senegal constitutes an asset, the country being able to serve as a platform towards Africa, Europe and the Americas. A possible resumption of the direct Cairo-Dakar link would thus make it possible to strengthen connections between the two countries, while opening up prospects in the areas of freight transport and training for aviation professions.
New wind and solar projects in Senegal
President Bassirou D. Faye subsequently spoke with Mohamed Ismail Mansour, founder of the Infinity group. Already present in Senegal with the Taïba Ndiaye wind farm, through Infinity Power, the group intends to strengthen its investments with new wind and solar projects totaling 1 gigawatt of capacity. These projects should contribute to significantly increasing national electricity production and supporting the objective of energy sovereignty included in the Senegal 2050 Agenda.
It’s cash with the National Bank of Egypt
There was a third audience in the morning: the one with Mohamed Mahmoud El Etreby, president of the National Bank of Egypt and president of the Association of Egyptian Banks. Discussions focused on the financing of trade between Senegal and Egypt. According to information reported at the end of this meeting by the presidency, the National Bank of Egypt wishes to establish a banking and commercial partnership with Senegal, with in particular the prospect of an establishment in Dakar. An Egyptian banking presence in the Senegalese capital could provide new instruments to economic operators from both countries for their transactions and contribute to the development of bilateral trade.
An assumed economic diplomacy
These hearings give a concrete dimension to the economic aspect of the presidential trip. The Presidency had announced, before the departure of the Head of State, that his stay in El-Alamein would be devoted not only to the priorities of African development and integration, but also to the search for economic partnerships and the presentation of the opportunities offered by Senegal to investors. President Faye’s visit to El-Alamein thus combines African institutional meetings and direct contacts with economic players. In his capacity as current president of ECOWAS, he must also take part in the mid-annual coordination meeting of the African Union and regional economic communities.
Beyond declarations of intent, this Saturday’s hearings put several concrete avenues on the table: a direct Cairo-Dakar air link, training of Air Senegal staff, a possible cargo line, wind and solar projects, and a banking partnership that could lead to the opening of an Egyptian bank in Dakar.
