Uber Egypt's GM Ahmed Khalil says investments exceed $100 million

Following the hard hit received by businesses worldwide, including in Egypt, due to the coronavirus outbreak, business owners had to accommodate new working plans to deal with the new challenges.

General Manager of Uber Egypt Ahmed Khalil shares with Ahram Online the current and future plan of the biggest ride-hailing operator in Egypt and its investments in the domestic market.

Ahram Online: How do you assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Egypt’s business-doing scene?

AK: The pandemic has impacted many industries around the world, including the ride-sharing sector in Egypt. There has been a major shift in the transport behaviour in general, due to new safety measures and government restrictions, such as curfews and lockdowns, as well as the public’s concern about virus transmission.

This resulted in a change in users’ habits, where the need for access to safe and convenient modes of transportation is now higher than ever.

Driven by a growing sense of social responsibility, we launched several initiatives and safety features to support the community during these critical times.

AO: What are Uber Egypt's initiatives to support the community during the pandemic?

AK: We launched Uber Medics in collaboration with the Egyptian Ministry of Health, which is a programme that supports the medical sector and frontliners with free and discounted trips to help curb the spread of the virus.

In addition, Uber partnered with several community foundations to help mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable communities, including the Egyptian Red Crescent, where we supported 2,000 volunteers with access to transportation by providing 4,000 free trips, and Ahl Masr Foundation, where we provided logistical support by offering more than 1,000 free trips for 70 agents to help them collect donations for patients.