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 importa ... Read full article.