Egypt-Africa trade rises 11.8% to $6.1 billion in 7 months – CAPMAS
Egypt’s trade with African Union member states rose 11.8 per cent year-on-year to $6.1 billion in the first seven months of 2026, driven by higher exports and a sharp increase in imports, the country’s statistics agency CAPMAS said Sunday.
Trade with the bloc reached $5.5 billion in January-July 2025, CAPMAS said, releasing the figures as New Alamein hosts the African Union’s eighth Mid-Year Coordination Meeting, which aims to advance regional economic integration.
Egyptian exports to African Union countries rose 3.4 per cent to $4.5 billion in the first seven months of 2026, from $4.3 billion a year earlier.
Libya was Egypt’s largest African export destination, with shipments worth $869 million, followed by Sudan at $659 million, Algeria at $566 million, Morocco at $521 million, and Tunisia at $252 million.
Other major destinations included Kenya at $181 million, Nigeria at $140.5 million, South Africa at $138 million, Cameroon at $121 million, and Ghana at $114 million.
Electrical machinery and equipment led Egypt’s exports to the bloc, worth $384 million, followed by plastics and their products at $354 million, iron and steel and their products at $270 million, miscellaneous food preparations at $205 million, and animal and vegetable fats and oils at $176 million.
Egyptian imports from African Union countries climbed 45.5 per cent to $1.6 billion in January-July 2026, from $1.1 billion in the corresponding period last year.
The Democratic Republic of Congo was Egypt’s largest African import source, accounting for $360 million, followed by Sudan at $298 million, Libya at $183 million, Kenya at $144 million, and Mauritania at $138 million.
Other suppliers included Zambia, at $117 million, South Africa at $81 million, Senegal at $58 million, Morocco at $51 million, and Tunisia at $38 million.
Copper and its products were Egypt’s largest import category from the bloc, valued at $488 million, followed by mineral fuels, oils, and their distillation products at $239 million. Precious stones, pearls, and jewellery accounted for $159 million, while coffee, tea and spices totalled $152 million. Oilseeds, oleaginous fruits, and medicinal plants were valued at $82 million.
CAPMAS also reported that remittances from Egyptians working in African Union countries reached $191 million in the 2024/25 fiscal year, while remittances from workers from those countries employed in Egypt totalled $26.2 million.
Investment flows from Egypt to the bloc were higher than in the opposite direction. Egyptian investments in African Union countries reached $756 million in 2024/25, while investments by African Union countries in Egypt totalled $343 million.
The meeting in New Alamein brings together African leaders and heads of regional economic communities to advance continental integration and coordination under the African Union’s Agenda 2063.