CAIRO -Egyptian products are of high quality and competitively priced and should therefore have a better chance to penetrate African markets.
This statement by Minister of Trade and Industry Nevine Gamea came during her visit on Tuesday to the Egyptian pavilion at the 2nd Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2021.
The fair, organised by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) in Durban, South Africa, will end on 21 November.
Some 24 African countries are taking part in the event.
Trade agreements that Egypt signed with African blocs such as COMESA and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) are advantageous for Egyptian products, the minister added.
The Egyptian pavilion displays the products of 41 companies in engineering, chemicals, foods and medical supplies.
Egypt is keen to reinforce its role in Africa by strengthening trade and investment relations with the continent in addition to the transfer of modern technology to African countries, Gamea said.
Egypt is working hard for economic integration with all countries and sustainable development for all African peoples, Gamea added.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa opened the fair on Monday. The Egyptian delegation participating in the opening ceremony of the exhibition included Egyptian Ambassador to South Africa Ahmed el-Fadly and head of the Egyptian Commercial Service office in South Africa RagyAdly.
The minister went on to say that the African fair is one of the largest in Africa providing a huge platform for showcasing goods and services and exchanging information on trade and investment in African markets.
The fair is basically an Egyptian initiative since Cairo hosted the first IATF in 2018.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry, represented by the Export Development Authority, organized the fair in co-operation with Afreximbank in December 2018.
Egypt exported goods worth $4.8 billion to African countries in 2019, equivalent to 16 per cent of Egypt’s export total.
