Egypt's exports to COMESA countries increase 32.4% during 9 months

CAIRO - 23 November 2021: Egypt’s exports to the Common Market Summit for Eastern and Southern African Countries (COMESA)  hiked 32.4 percent during the first nine months of 2021, to reach $2.3 billion, compared to $1.7 billion during the same period in 2020, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS).

CAPMAS said in a statement, Tuesday, that Egypt’s imports from the COMESA countries amounted to $901 million during the first 9 months of 2021, compared to $721 million during the same period in 2020, with an increase of 25 percent.

It indicated that the value of trade exchange between Egypt and the COMESA countries increased, recording $3.1 billion during the first 9 months of 2021, compared to $2.4 billion during the same period in 2020, marking an increase of 30.2 percent.

Libya came on top of the list of the top 5 COMESA countries importing from Egypt during the first 9 months of 2021; As the value of Egypt's exports amounted to $711 million, Sudan came in second place with $588 million, then Kenya  $284 million, Tunisia $202 million, and finally Ethiopia $80 million.

Plastics and their products came on top of the list of the most important commodities exported by Egypt to the COMESA countries during the first 9 months of 2021. Its exports amounted to $236 million, followed by salt, sulfur, stones and cement at $136 million, and fuel, mineral oils and their distillation products, at $136 million.

Sudan ranked first in the list of the top 5 COMESA countries exporting to Egypt during the first 9 months of 2021; Egypt's imports amounted to $258 million, Zambia came in second with $251 million, then Kenya $173 million, Libya $68 million, and finally Tunisia $56 million.

Copper and its products came on top of the list of the most important commodities that Egypt imported from the COMESA countries during the first 9 months of 2021; Its imports amounted to $297 million, followed by coffee, tea, mate, spices and seeds at $159 million, and live animals at $147 million.

The COMESA member states are  (Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tunisia, Somalia, Seychelles, Burundi, Congo, Comoros, Malawi, Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Madagascar, Eritrea, Swaziland). .