Trade exchange between Egypt and the African Union countries reached $9.2bn in 2023, up from $8.7bn in 2022. This marks an increase of $500m and a growth rate of 5.7%, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS). The announcement came on Tuesday, coinciding with African Statistics Day.
Egypt’s exports to African Union nations experienced significant growth, rising to $7.4bn in 2023 compared to $6.4bn in 2022, a notable increase of 15.6%. The majority of these exports were concentrated in five countries: Libya, which led the list with $1.8bn, accounting for 24.9% of the total; Sudan with $989m (13.4%); Algeria with $859m (11.6%); Morocco with $829m (11.2%); and Kenya with $327m (4.4%). The main export commodities included cement, gypsum, and calcium phosphate. They together totalled $701m and represented 9.5% of total exports. Plastics and related products followed with a value of $574m (7.8%), while flour and grain products amounted to $375m (5.1%).
In contrast, Egypt’s imports from African Union nations declined significantly. The value dropped to $1.8bn in 2023 from $2.3bn in 2022, reflecting a $500m reduction and a 21.7% decrease. Once again, five countries dominated the import landscape, collectively accounting for 82.6% of Egypt’s total imports from the continent. The Democratic Republic of Congo led with imports valued at $532m, representing 29.3% of the total. Sudan followed with $388m (21.4%), Kenya with $311m (17.1%), Zambia with $165m (9.1%), and South Africa with $101m (5.6%). The most significant imports included copper and its derivatives, which accounted for $710m or 39.1% of total imports. Coffee, tea, and spices ranked second with $309m (17%), while live animals made up $175m (9.7%).
Regarding specific regional blocs, the Sahel and Sahara countries saw a trade volume of $6.5bn in 2023, up from $5.9bn in 2022, reflecting a growth rate of 10.2%. Exports to these countries surged to $5.6bn, an increase of 19% from the previous year, while imports dropped by 19% to $925m. Trade with COMESA nations also grew, reaching $5.8bn in 2023 compared to $5.4bn in 2022, a rise of 7.4%. Exports to this bloc increased by 20% to $4.2bn, while imports fell by 15.8% to $1.6bn.
Meanwhile, trade with the Nile Basin countries recorded a slight decline, dropping to $3bn in 2023 from $3.1bn in 2022, a decrease of 3.2%. Exports remained steady at $1.7bn, but imports saw a decline of 7.1%, falling to $1.3bn.
These figures highlight Egypt’s growing role in regional trade and strengthened economic ties with African Union nations. The data also emphasizes the country’s export growth across various sectors, even as import dynamics shifted in response to changing regional and global market conditions.
