Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Egypt recorded strong export growth in 2025, with overseas sales rising by 18 percent during the first eleven months of the year, reaching more than $44 billion, according to official data. The surge was driven by robust performance across key sectors, including construction materials, chemicals, and food processing, and was accompanied by a notable improvement in the country’s trade balance.
Data released by the General Authority for Export and Import Control showed that Egyptian exports totaled $44.392 billion between January and November 2025, up from $37.544 billion during the same period in 2024. Imports increased more modestly, rising 4 percent year on year to $74.738 billion, compared to $71.965 billion a year earlier.
As a result, Egypt’s trade deficit narrowed by 12 percent, falling to $30.346 billion from $34.421 billion in the corresponding period of 2024. The improvement reflects government efforts to boost export capacity while rationalizing imports amid broader economic reform measures.
Construction Materials Lead Export Growth
The construction materials sector emerged as the main driver of export growth, with foreign sales reaching $13.672 billion, marking a sharp year-on-year increase of 39 percent. This performance highlights rising external demand for Egyptian cement, steel, and related building products, particularly in regional markets.
Exports of chemicals and fertilizers also posted solid gains, totaling $8.560 billion, up 8 percent compared with the previous year. The food processing industry generated $6.350 billion in export revenues, reflecting growth of 13 percent, supported by increased shipments of processed agricultural goods.
Engineering and electronic products recorded exports worth $5.919 billion, a 14 percent increase, underscoring Egypt’s growing manufacturing base. The apparel sector delivered one of the strongest performances, with exports rising 21 percent to $3.96 billion, driven by competitive pricing and improved access to international markets.
United Arab Emirates Tops Destination Markets
On the geographical front, the United Arab Emirates emerged as Egypt’s largest destination for non-oil exports during the first eleven months of 2025. Exports to the UAE surged to $6.58 billion, more than doubling from $2.845 billion a year earlier, representing an increase of 131 percent.
Turkey ranked second among Egypt’s export markets, with shipments totaling $2.949 billion, a modest 1 percent increase year on year. Saudi Arabia came third, although exports declined by 11 percent to $2.755 billion, down from $3.104 billion in 2024.
Italy ranked fourth, importing $2.552 billion worth of Egyptian goods, an increase of 29 percent, while the United States followed with $2.470 billion in imports, reflecting a strong 21 percent annual growth.
Government Strategy to Expand Trade
The Egyptian government has set an ambitious goal of positioning the country among the world’s top 50 economies in global trade indicators, with a medium-term target of raising exports to $145 billion. To achieve this, authorities are focusing on simplifying export procedures, expanding digital trade platforms, and making better use of Egypt’s extensive network of regional and international trade agreements.
At the same time, policymakers aim to protect domestic industry while adhering to international trade rules, particularly in areas related to competition and market access. These efforts form part of a broader strategy to transform Egypt into a regional industrial and logistics hub, with particular emphasis on engineering, manufacturing, and value-added production.
Economic Impact and Outlook
The sustained rise in exports has helped strengthen Egypt’s foreign currency inflows, an important factor for an economy facing pressure on its exchange rate and a high level of external debt. Improved export performance also enhances the government’s capacity to finance large-scale infrastructure projects and advance structural reforms.
Looking ahead, economists note that maintaining this momentum will depend on diversifying export markets, upgrading product quality, and improving logistics and supply chain efficiency. Strong performances in sectors such as engineering, agri-food, and textiles suggest that Egypt has room to consolidate its gains, provided reforms continue and regional economic conditions remain relatively stable.
