The trade exchange between Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) rose to $4.8bn in the first half (H1) of 2025, compared with $2.7bn in the same period of 2024, marking a 77.7% increase, the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS) announced on Tuesday.
The release coincided with the visit of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Cairo on Monday, where he was received by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. The visit reflects the strength of historical ties and growing economic cooperation between the two countries.
According to CAPMAS, Egyptian exports to the UAE reached $3.8bn in the first half of 2025, up sharply from $1.5bn a year earlier, representing growth of 153.3%. By contrast, Egyptian imports from the UAE declined by 16.6%, falling to $1bn from $1.2bn.
The report noted that Egypt’s exports were driven primarily by pearls, precious stones and jewellery, which alone accounted for $3.2bn. Other key export items included electrical machinery and equipment worth $151m, vegetables and fruit worth $111m, motor vehicles and tractors worth $33m, and prepared vegetables worth $26m. On the import side, Egypt’s main purchases from the UAE included copper and articles thereof valued at $293m, plastics worth $174m, iron and steel products worth $83m, electrical machinery and appliances at $68m, and aluminium products worth $31m.
In terms of investments, UAE inflows into Egypt reached $2.2bn in the first half of fiscal year 2024/25, compared with $2.1bn in the same period of the previous year, an increase of 4.8%. Egyptian investments in the UAE also recorded notable growth, rising to $750.1m from $616.2m, a 21.7% increase.
The report further highlighted that remittances from Egyptians working in the UAE amounted to $1.8bn in fiscal year 2023/24, down from $2.1bn in 2022/23. Remittances from Emiratis working in Egypt also decreased slightly, recording $31.6m compared with $35.5m.
