Trade between Egypt and African Union countries rose 7.6 per cent year-on-year in 2024 to $9.9 billion, driven by higher exports of cement, plastics, flour products, and other goods, the country's statistics agency CAPMAS said Tuesday. Egypt's exports to African nations reached $7.8 billion, up 5.4 per cent from 2023, with the bulk shipped to Libya ($2.0 billion), Morocco ($1.1 billion), Algeria ($1.0 billion), Sudan ($884 million), and Tunisia ($369 million). Key export commodities included cement and salt, plastics, and flour-based products. Imports from Africa jumped 16.7 per cent to $2.1 billion, led by copper and its products, coffee, tea, spices, fuel and mineral oils, and live animals. The top suppliers were the Democratic Republic of Congo ($662 million), Sudan ($293 million), Kenya ($260 million), Nigeria ($165 million), and South Africa ($158 million). CAPMAS highlighted that trade with key African economic blocs also grew, including a 6.2 per cent rise in trade with Sahel and Sahara countries to $6.9 billion, and a 1.7 per cent increase with COMESA states to $5.9 billion, while trade with Nile Basin countries fell slightly to $2.9 billion. The announcement coincides with African Statistics Day, observed annually on 18 November, which this year carries the theme "Leveraging innovations in data and statistics to promote a just, peaceful, inclusive and prosperous society for Africans." CAPMAS emphasised its role in providing accurate data to inform policies that promote sustainable economic and social development across Africa. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Download
