Chemical and Fertilisers Export Council Chairperson Khaled Abou El Makarem revealed that the Ministry of Industry and Trade aims to increase the rate of non-petroleum exports by 15% in 2018, to record about 25.7bn. Abou El Makarem pointed out that a coordination meeting of the export councils was held two days ago with the participation of the Egyptian Exporters Association (Expolink) to propose a number of initiatives and ideas that contribute to the increase of exports. Abou El Makarem noted that some international events were prepared for 2018 through coordination between the export councils, Expolink, and the Export Development Authority to reach Egyptian exports of about $40bn during the coming period. Abou El Makarem explained that during the meeting, it was agreed that the export councils, in 2018, will participate in a pavillion at the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair), the largest and oldest trade fair in China, held twice a year, the first in the spring, in late April and May, and the second in autumn, in October and November. He added that the participation in such fair is a good opportunity to invest or trade, where the fair gathers exhibits of factories from different countries of the world in one place. "Each round of the fair consists of three stages, the first stage is dedicated to electronics and lighting products, the second to consumer goods, and the third to textiles and medical products," Abou El Makarem said. "The decision to participate in Canton Fair comes in light of the new orientation of the councils to import and supply major international chains with Egyptian products, as well as benefiting from the presence of customers of competitive companies to view our products." Abu El Makarem said that it was agreed on organising an international exhibition in Cairo for export, which will be held during the second half of 2018, pointing out that it was decided to participate in export councils in a pavillion in the next round of the Cairo International Market under the name "export councils" to offer the different products and to guide the international companies to visit the pavillion of export councils' products.
