UAE becomes Egypt’s top export recipient in 9 months

The United Arab Emirates has become the biggest recipient of Egypt’s exports in the first nine months of the year, an Egyptian official said on Thursday.

The Arab world’s second biggest economy has received Egyptian exports totaling $1.567 billion at the end of September this year, Ismail Gaber, chairman of trade ministry’s Egyptian General Organisation for Export-Import Control (GOEIC), said.

Turkey came in the second position, receiving Egyptian exports worth $1.498 billion, while the United States came third, with recipients worth $1.185 billion, Gaber said.

Italy was the fourth-biggest recipient of Egyptian exports, getting $1.171 billion, followed by Saudi Arabia, which received a total value of $1.55 billion, he added.

The United Kingdom, Spain, Algeria, and France came as sixth, seventh, and eighth, receiving Egyptian exports worth $771 million, $708 million, $646 million, and $541 million, respectively, the official said.

Five sectors seized the lion’s share of Egypt’s January-September exports, chemicals, books, medical industries, textile, handicrafts, and ready-made garments, Gaber said.