In the first half of fiscal year 2025/26, Egypt’s foreign trade saw significant activity, as highlighted in a report by the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE). Fourteen countries were responsible for nearly 69% of Egypt’s total trade, underlining the importance of these partnerships for the nation’s economy.
Trade Overview
Egypt’s foreign trade for the specified period totaled $73.540 billion, which includes $52.647 billion in imports and $20.893 billion in exports. The primary contributors among these trading partners accounted for a combined $50.616 billion in trade, with imports amounting to $36.147 billion and exports at $14.469 billion. This data underscores the central role that international trade plays in Egypt’s economic landscape.
Top Trading Partners
The United States emerged as Egypt’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching approximately $8.709 billion. This comprised imports worth $6.570 billion and Egyptian exports totaling $2.139 billion. Following closely is the United Arab Emirates, which ranked second with total trade of $7.028 billion, split between $3.606 billion in imports and $3.422 billion in exports.
China positioned itself in third place, with trade amounting to $6.845 billion, heavily driven by imports of $6.609 billion, while Egyptian exports to China were relatively modest at $235.6 million. Saudi Arabia secured the fourth position, with total trade of $5.586 billion, primarily owing to imports of $4.647 billion against exports of $939 million. Germany rounded out the top five trading partners with total bilateral trade reaching $3.271 billion, comprised of $2.303 billion in imports and $968.9 million in exports.
Other Notable Partnerships
Italy and Turkey followed as significant trading partners, with trade reaching $2.824 billion and $2.753 billion respectively. Italy accounted for imports worth $1.372 billion and exports of $1.451 billion, while Turkey’s trade structure included $1.767 billion in imports and $985.7 million in exports. The United Kingdom and Switzerland also made notable contributions, with bilateral trade amounts of $2.699 billion and $2.333 billion, respectively. The UK exported $1.428 billion worth of goods to Egypt, while Switzerland exported approximately $1.396 billion.
Further down the list, Brazil, India, and Russia continued to play essential roles in Egypt’s trading landscape. Bilateral trade with Brazil totaled $2.175 billion, with Egypt importing $1.986 billion and exporting $189.4 million. India’s trade comprised $1.875 billion, with imports at $1.665 billion and exports at $209.6 million. Russia’s contributions were also significant, with total trade hitting $1.660 billion.
In summary, Egypt’s foreign trade remains robust, with varied partnerships across the globe. The data reflects not only the importance of these relationships but also Egypt’s strategic focus on enhancing its trade agreements and economic stability. The report also noted that trade with countries not individually mentioned accumulated to $22.924 billion, further highlighting the expansive nature of Egypt’s international trade activities.