Egypt exports: Efforts to improve exports to Turkey, Libya, Sudan 

The Ministerial Group for Industrial Development on Thursday explored significant steps to boost Egypt’s exports.

The group also addressed means of improving the flow of Egyptian exports, especially textiles and garments, to Turkey, a major market for Egyptian products and a gateway to European markets. The group also reviewed barriers related to customs procedures and certificate of origin verification. To tackle these issues, they discussed implementing provisions from the free trade agreement to ensure duty-free access for Egyptian exports, as well as activating Article 7 of the World Trade Organisation Agreement, which offers alternatives to the reference price for imports.

Furthermore, the meeting outlined strategies to enhance exports through border points with Sudan and Libya. The suggested actions involve coordinating with the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) and the Ministries of Finance and Foreign Affairs to establish an Egyptian bank branch at the Argeen Land Border Post with Sudan, as well as providing point of sale devices.

The group also proposed solutions to alleviate cargo truck congestion during inspections at the Salloum land port to Libya. Suggestions included extending inspection hours, increasing the availability of inspection equipment, and exploring the possibility of new inspection lanes.

Subediting: M. S. Salama