Egypt will host its first Egyptian-African Economic Conference on 29 Saturday, November, under the patronage of Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Abdel Sadeq Al-Shorbagy, chairperson of the National Press Authority, at the headquarters of Al-Ahram, the weekly newspaper.
Organized by Al-Ahram Hebdo, the French-language weekly newspaper, as part of the 150th anniversary celebrations of Al-Ahram, the conference coincides with Africa Industrialisation Week and aims to develop a unified approach to accelerate the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
The conference is expected to attract a wide array of ministers, senior officials, and economic leaders from Egypt and other African nations, including Planning Minister Rania Al-Mashat and Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk.
Former Egyptian Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab and various heads of key economic institutions, such as the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) and the African Development Bank (AfDB), will also be in attendance.
Key sessions will address topics such as infrastructure, investment, and manufacturing to foster African integration. Additionally, discussions will focus on financial systems to enhance intra-African trade and the role of economic diplomacy in promoting cooperation among African countries.
In recent years, Egypt’s economic ties with African nations have shown notable growth. Data from the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS) indicates that total trade between Egypt and African Union member states reached EGP 473 billion (USD 9.9 billion) in 2024, reflecting a 7.6 percent increase from the previous year.
Egyptian exports saw a rise to EGP 372 billion (USD 7.8 billion), predominantly concentrated in countries like Libya, Morocco, and Algeria, while imports grew to EGP 100 billion (USD 2.1 billion).
Despite variations in trade patterns with different African economic groupings, the overall trajectory indicates a commitment to strengthening economic relations, further emphasizing the objectives outlined for the upcoming conference.
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