Abdel Aziz Elsherif, Head of the Egyptian Commercial Service (ECS), met with Fadel Marzouk, Chairperson of the Apparel Export Council of Egypt (AECE), to discuss a comprehensive plan to boost Egyptian exports of ready-to-wear garments and textiles. The meeting focused on strategies to promote sectoral growth, mitigate the negative effects of global trade tensions, and attract foreign investment amid shifting global supply chains. Elsherif noted that a key component of the plan involves strengthening coordination between the ECS and export councils to fully leverage the efforts of Egypt's commercial offices abroad. These offices provide crucial market intelligence, including data on target markets, marketing studies, export requirements, and technical specifications—resources intended to help exporters access new markets more efficiently. The ECS will also facilitate direct engagement between Egyptian officials and major international importers, in addition to supporting promotional missions and participation in global exhibitions. Elsherif emphasized the ECS's role in identifying and communicating high-potential export opportunities, especially in light of current global market disruptions. He highlighted Europe as a key region where Egyptian exports could substitute goods from markets impacted by trade conflicts and supply chain realignments. Fadel Marzouk reported that the sector has already demonstrated strong momentum, with exports from January to June 2025 reaching approximately $1.608bn—up from $1.283bn during the same period in 2024—representing a 25% year-on-year increase. He expressed optimism that this growth trend would continue, with annual export growth projected between 25% and 30%. Marzouk outlined the council's long-term vision, targeting $12bn in exports by 2031. This goal is part of a broader strategy to increase the sector's global competitiveness and attract investment from countries such as Turkey, China, Vietnam, and India. He also underscored the importance of expanding exports to African markets, citing rising demand and consumption in the continent's rapidly growing economies. The meeting concluded with an agreement for the AECE to provide detailed information on Egypt's export-ready production capacities and target markets. This will enable tighter coordination with Egypt's commercial offices abroad to better align promotional efforts and unlock export opportunities in key global markets.
