The Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) has revealed that the total value of Egypt’s exports decreased 6.4% to $28.0bn in 2020, compared to $30.0bn in 2019.
These exports travelled to a number of areas, including: the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA); the Community of Sahel-Saharan States (CEN-SAD); the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA); the Group of 15 (G-15); the Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA); and the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation (Developing-8).
CAPMAS said that GAFTA received the majority of Egypt’s exports, with a value of $9.8bn in 2020 compared to $10.1bn in 2019, reflecting a decrease of 3.5%.
This was followed by ESCWA, which saw a 4.1% on the 2019 figure of $8.4bn, reaching a total value of exports of $8bn. The COMESA area came last with the total value of exports amounting to $2.0bn in 2020, compared to $2.2bn in 2021, reflecting a decrease of 8.2%.
According to the agency, the total value of Egypt’s imports from those groups amounted to $29.6bn in 2020, compared to $34.2bn in 2019, a decrease of 13.3%.
Egypt’s imports from GAFTA ranked first, with a value of $9.3bn in 2020 compared to $11.2bn in 2019, a decrease of 17.4%. This was followed by the G-15, where the total value of imports reached $8.3bn in 2020, compared to $93bn in 2019.
With a decrease of 10.7%, the CEN-SAD area came in last place, as the total value of imports amounted to $0.8bn, compared to $0.9bn, a decrease of 15.3%.
CAPMAS added that the total value of Egypt’s exports to international groups that do not include Egypt, decreased by 20.7% to $10.5bn in 2020, compared to $13.3bn in 2019.
These areas are namely: the European Union (EU); the European Free Trade Association (EFTA); the North American Free Trade Association (NAFTA); ASEAN; and MERCOSUR.
Egypt’s exports to the EU ranked in the first place, reaching $7.2bn in 2020 compared to $9.5bn in 2019, reflecting a decrease of 23.9%. This was followed by NAFTA, where the total value of exports amounted to $2.3bn, compared to $3.0bn, in the same time period. This reflected a decrease of 21.6%.
Meanwhile, EFTA ranked last, as the total value of exports amounted to $150.2m in 2020, compared to $37.6m in 2019, an increase of 299.5%.
The total value of Egypt’s imports from these gatherings amounted to $33.1bn in 2020, compared to $35.4bn in 2019, a decrease of 6.7%.
Egypt’s imports from the EU in first place, reaching $19.2bn in 2020 compared to $20.9bn in 2019, a decrease of 8.0%. This was followed by NAFTA, where the total value of imports amounted to $5.4bn, compared to $5.5bn, a decrease of 2.2%. Meanwhile, EFTA ranked last, as the total value of imports amounted to $1.3bn, compared to $1.2bn, an increase of 13.8%.
