Egypt wants to see a more direct presence from Apple in the country

Egypt wants to see a more direct physical presence from tech giant Apple even as the two are caught up in conflict over local iPhone sales, reports CNBC . 

“I think Egypt is a big market and attractive for Apple to exist in directly. Apple has been in Egypt but through indirect agents, suppliers … But really, we discussed yesterday (with Apple), the idea really (is) to have Apple be in Egypt to be one of its industrial hubs and a destination to serve the whole region,” Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli told CNBC‘s Hadley Gamble at the World Economic In December Egypt, where iPhone prices are up to 50% higher than elsewhere in the Middle East, gave Apple 60 days to end what it claims are unfair restrictions on local distributors or face legal action. The Egyptian Competition Authority claimed they were violating local law by concluding exclusive distribution agreements.

The firm said that companies had a right to specify sales areas, but that local retailers were barred from buying from other distributors in Apple’s case, which blocked competition. Egyptian Competition Authority said this violated clauses in the contracts that runs counter to competition legislation in Egypt.