The Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) revealed a 42.2% increase in the trade exchange between Egypt and the Sahel and Sahara countries in 2021.
CAPMAS stated in a statement that the value of Egyptian exports to the Sahel and Sahara countries amounted to $4.084bn in 2021, compared to $2.859bn in 2020, an increase of 42.8%.
According to the agency, the highest values of exports were concentrated in five African countries, with a rate of 78.1% of the total of this bloc. Libya topped those countries, as the value of Egyptian exports to it amounted to $961m, or 23.5% of the total, then Sudan with $827m, or 20.2%. Morocco came with $757m, or 18.5%, then Kenya $382m, or 9.4%, and Tunisia $264m, or 6.5% of the bloc’s total.
It pointed out that plastics and their products came at the forefront of the most important exported commodities, with an export value of $425m, or 10.7% of the total exported commodities, then salt, stones, and cement, with a value of $363m, or 8.9%, then fuel, mineral oils, and their distillation products, with a value of $232m, or 5.7%. % of the total exported goods.
On the other hand, the value of Egypt’s total imports from the Sahel and Sahara countries amounted to $1.092bn in 2021, compared to $801m in 2020, an increase of 36.3%.
According to the agency, the highest values of imports were concentrated in five African countries with a rate of 91.3% of the total of this bloc, led by Sudan, where the value of imports amounted to $386m, or 35.3% of the total bloc, then Kenya $255m, or 23.4%; Morocco with $202m or 18.5%; then Libya with $78m or 7.1%, and Tunisia with $76m or 7.0% of the total bloc.
Coffee, tea and spices came among the most important imported commodities at a value of $226m, or 20.7% of the total imported commodities, then fuel, mineral oils and their distillation products, at a value of $220m, or 20.1%, then grains, oily fruits and medicinal plants, at a value of $97m, or 8.9% of the total imported goods.
