Egyptian trade mission to visit Slovakia, Poland to boost trade

CAIRO – 28 April 2018: The Egyptian council for international cooperation is organizing a trade mission to Slovakia and Poland in May to explore joint investment opportunities and boost trade through opening new markets for Egyptian products.

The mission is being organized in cooperation with Egypt’s Trade Ministry and the Egyptian embassies in Slovakia and Poland as well as the two European countries’ embassies in Egypt, the council’s head Motaz Raslan said Saturday.

He said that the mission compromises a number of businessmen, investors and representatives from companies working the field of tourism, mining, furniture, real estate, manufacturing and logistics.

The mission will include intensive meetings with officials in the two countries’ trade and industry ministries to present the investment opportunities in Egypt and promote Egyptian products.

This is in addition to organizing visits to a number of factories and companies in both countries to discuss possible partnerships.

Raslan said that studies have been conducted on the markets of Poland and Slovakia to determine the goods that both markets need in order to achieve the maximum benefit for both sides.

He further said that Egypt and Poland have expressed interest in boosting relations, saying that trade exchange between both states reached around $1 billion in 2016, compared to $500 million in 2015.

Meanwhile, trade exchange between Egypt and Slovakia stood at some $200 million in 2016, a figure that does not match the potential and relations between both countries, Raslan said.

For this reason, Raslan said that the council seeks to discuss boosting trade between Egypt and Slovakia during this upcoming visit.

The visit will also aim to open new markets for Egyptian products, Raslan said. Egypt’s most prominent exports are chemicals, garments, cotton, fruits and vegetables, he added.