Minister of Trade and Industry Tarek Kabil said that the Egyptian non-oil exports to the Tunisian market within 2017 rose by 40.7%, scoring $187.2m compared to $133m in 2016. Kabil said that the large increase in the rates of Egyptian exports to the Tunisian market is due to the increased competitiveness and acceptance of Egyptian products in the markets of Tunisia, pointing out that Egypt and Tunisia are linked to a network of large trade agreements, including the Arab Free Trade Agreement and the Agadir Agreement, which contributed greatly to facilitating the flow of trade movement between the two countries. He added that the trade balance between Egypt and Tunisia achieved a surplus of $317m for Egypt in 2017, compared to $123m in 2016, up by 157.7%. Undersecretary of the Trade and Industry Ministry Ahmed Antar said that the increase in Egyptian exports to the Tunisian market comes within the framework of the efforts of the Egyptian Commercial Representation Office in Tunisia, reflecting the ministry's 2020 development plan. Antar mentioned that the most important items of Egyptian exports to Tunisia in 2017 included iron, steel, food products, cotton, cotton fabrics, machinery, electrical and industrial equipment, plastics and their products, and glass.
