At the Arab Iron and Steel Union’s (AISU) 130th board of directors and general Assembly meetings which took place in Nouakchott, Mauritania, on May 11, with participation from 45 steel companies across the Arab world, engineer Ahmed Ezz, the founder and president of Ezz Steel, was elected as the chairman of the board for a four-year term, according to the AISU.
In his post-election remarks, Mr. Ezz highlighted the profound shifts affecting both the global and regional steel sectors, emphasizing that the proliferation of protectionist policies along with global steel overcapacity has created unfair competition for Arab steel producers, undermining their market shares and threatening the viability of local industries. Mr. Ezz stressed the urgent need for unified action to protect the interests of the Arab steel industry. He called for stronger regional cooperation and advocacy for fair trade practices, emphasizing the AISU’s role as a vital platform to address these challenges and ensure a level playing field for Arab producers in the face of growing global competition.
The Arab Iron and Steel Union was established in 1972 as the first Arab industry association focused on the steel sector and is affiliated with the Arab League. Its permanent headquarters, or general secretariat, is located in Algeria, with a regional office in Cairo, and it boasts over 75 member companies.
According to the latest available data from Worldsteel, Ezz Steel is the largest Arab steel company, with a crude steel output of 6.2 million tons in 2023, followed by Hadeed of Saudi Arabia with 5.5 million tons. Ezz Steel ranks 60th among the world's top steel-producing companies.