CAIRO, 3 October 2005 — The first German Technology Forum in the Arab world began yesterday in Cairo, with presentations by German companies and universities. Opening the three-day event, Egypt’s Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif said, German companies could contribute to the privatization of Egyptian state businesses and the technology transfer between both countries. The German-Arabic Chamber for Industry and Commerce said Egypt’s markets offered good opportunities for German companies in the wake of recent economic reforms. German exports to Egypt, the Arab country with the largest population, have risen by 13 percent since the beginning of 2004.