In a remarkable development for the Egyptian economy, the nation’s exports to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) countries surged to $3.4 billion in 2022, marking a notable 10.9% increase from $3.1 billion in 2021. According to the latest reports from the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, Egypt’s imports from COMESA nations also rose significantly by 42.4%, reaching $1.9 billion in 2022 compared to $1.3 billion in the preceding year.
The value of trade between Egypt and the COMESA nations rose to $5.3 billion in 2022, a noteworthy growth of 20.4% compared to $4.4 billion in 2021.
Top amongst the list of countries importing from Egypt in the COMESA region during 2022 was Libya, with imports worth $1.2 billion. Following Libya were Sudan ($929.2 million), Kenya ($355.7 million), Tunisia ($307.5 million), Djibouti ($113.2 million), Uganda ($108.2 million), Ethiopia ($103.1 million), Madagascar ($79.9 million), Rwanda ($55.2 million), and Somalia ($40.5 million).
Key product groups exported by Egypt to COMESA countries in 2022 included chemicals and plastics ($1.1 billion), animal and vegetable products ($782.3 million), marble, stone, ceramics, and glass products ($267.7 million), fuel and petroleum products ($208.6 million), metal products ($207.6 million), yarns, fibers, spinning and textile products ($205.8 million), machinery and electrical devices ($198.9 million), rubber, leather, and wood ($179.4 million), and scientific devices ($10.7 million).
The Democratic Republic of the Congo led the list of the top ten COMESA countries exporting to Egypt in 2022, with exports worth $524.5 million, followed by Sudan ($504.4 million), Zambia ($313.7 million), Kenya ($307.9 million), Libya ($89.2 million), Tunisia ($71.3 million), Uganda ($23.2 million), Malawi ($10 million), Zimbabwe ($9.3 million), and finally Djibouti ($8.7 million).
Egypt’s main imports from COMESA countries in 2022 included metal products ($908.9 million), animal and vegetable products ($709.2 million), yarns, fibers, spinning and textile products ($144.6 million), chemicals and plastics ($51.1 million), rubber, leather, and wood ($18.9 million), machinery and electrical devices ($15 million), marble, stone, ceramics, and glass products ($12.6 million), scientific devices ($0.7 million), and fuel and petroleum products ($0.1 million).
These figures indicate the continually strengthening economic ties between Egypt and the COMESA nations, highlighting potential future opportunities for businesses in these markets.
