Egyptian exports to EU doubled in 2022 compared to 2021, reaching around €8bn, compared to around €4 bn for the same period of last year — a growth of about 100% growth — while EU exports to Egypt amounted to €9.9bn, according to the EU’s Ambassador in Cairo Christian Berger.
“Considering that Egypt’s total exports totaled about €27bn, the EU remains the biggest importer of Egyptian products, representing around 30% of Egypt’s exports,” he continued.
His remarks came during an end of year press conference, where the ambassador reviewed the EU’s efforts in Egypt throughout 2022 in all sectors.
He affirmed the continuation of the partnership between Egypt and the EU within the framework of the partnership agreements between the two sides.
Berger stressed that development projects worth €1.3bn funded by the EU contribute to improving the lives of citizens in the poorest governorates, especially in the areas where the Decent Life presidential initiative is taking place.
He added that the year 2022 witnessed the signing of many agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoU), such as the Partnership Priorities Agreement between Egypt and the EU and the MoU signed for the export of natural gas to the EU.
An MoU was also signed with Egypt during the recently held UN Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP27) that was held in Sharm El-Sheikh to be a center for the production and export of green hydrogen, especially since the repercussions of the Russian-Ukrainian War showed the need for more energy exports across the Mediterranean and the trend towards renewable energy.
Berger also praised the ability of Egypt, which now has a centre that offers the coronavirus vaccine and has access to pharmaceutical materials and compounds, pointing out that the EU is cooperating with the Egyptian government in implementing the strategy of the Ministry of Health and Population with a $270m fund given to improve health facilities and services.
Furthermore, he explained that water is one of the most important sectors of cooperation between Egypt and the EU, which attaches great importance to its importance in providing job opportunities.
Therefore, the largest wastewater treatment plant in Africa has been funded, and the Cairo Water Week continues to be held annually to conclude more agreements in this field while raising the awareness of the community about its importance.
Additionally, Berger affirmed the EU’s support to attract investors to Egypt by relaying investors’ requests to invest in Egypt, referring to the facilities that the Egyptian government is making in order to attract investment.
Finally, the ambassador reviewed all the fields that the EU cooperates with Egypt in, including health, women, women and village development projects, technology and AI, research and entrepreneurship, human rights, food security, energy, and climate change.
