Egypt’s trade with Nile basin states 25.4% up in 2018 – CAPMAS

Trade exchange between Egypt and Nile Basin countries rose 25.4 percent to $1.872 billion in 2018 from $1.493 billion in 2017, Egypt’s state-owned statistics agency CAPMAS said on Sunday.

The annual bulletin for trade exchange presented an analyses the volume of trade, including exports and imports, between Egypt and Nile Basin countries, including Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and Eritrea.

“The total value of imports from Nile Basin countries reached $ 668 million in 2018 against $380 million in 2017, marking an increase of 75.8 percent,” CAPMAS said.

Sudan ranked first in terms of exports, with a value of $ 399.3 million in 2018, representing 33.3 percent of the total trade volume with the Nile basin countries. Kenya ranked second, followed by Ethiopia, Eritrea and Uganda.

Kenya ranked first in terms of imports with a value of $287.3 million in 2018, representing 43 percent of the total imports of the Nile basin countries. Sudan comes second, followed by Congo, Ethiopia and then Uganda.

The most important items that were imported included coffee, tea, and spices as well as living animals, cotton, oil seeds, medical plants, and fodder.

Last week, the CAPMAS said that Egypt’s exports to African Union (AU) countries recorded $4.736 billion in 2018, up from $3.716 billion in 2017, registering an increase of 27.4 percent.

Source: MENA