Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting Egypt’s export sector, describing exports as a top national priority, according to a statement by the Finance Ministry on Wednesday.
“Every increase in exports demonstrates the private sector’s ability to grow, compete, expand production and create jobs,” Kouchouk said. “Together, we will continue working to build a more competitive economy with more diversified and sustainable exports.”
The minister said the government has significantly increased export support allocations each year to help Egyptian products access new markets. The current fiscal year’s budget earmarks LE48 billion for export rebate payments and exporter support, compared with LE28 billion disbursed during fiscal year (FY) 2025/26, representing an annual increase of 55 per cent.
Kouchouk stressed that the Ministry of Finance will continue providing liquidity to exporters by accelerating the settlement of their outstanding dues.
Addressing exporters, Kouchouk said the government had fulfilled its pledge by disbursing LE12.6 billion, representing 50 per cent of the cash payments due to around 2,500 exporting companies within a single fiscal year.
He noted that the first and second instalments were both paid during FY2025/26, instead of being spread over two fiscal years as originally planned. The minister underscored that export promotion remains at the forefront of the government’s fiscal policy agenda and a key pillar of efforts to enhance Egypt’s economic competitiveness.
Kouchouk explained that the government had initially planned to settle 50 per cent of exporters’ overdue claims at the Export Development Fund in cash over four consecutive fiscal years beginning in FY2025/26. However, it accelerated the payment schedule by disbursing two instalments during the same fiscal year.
He added that the government has paid LE70 billion to exporters over the past six years, aiming to clear all outstanding arrears within the next two years.
Nevine Mansour, the minister’s adviser for economic institutional relations, said LE5.3 billion was disbursed as the first instalment to 2,447 exporting companies during August and September of FY2025/26, while LE7.3 billion was paid as the second instalment to 2,328 companies by the end of the same fiscal year.
The total value of payments reached LE12.6 billion, benefiting around 2,500 exporting companies during FY2025/26.
