File Photo: The Suez Canal Container Terminal. Photo courtesy of EDECS website.
In a series of infographics highlighting key aspects of Egypt’s strategic partnership with Italy in trade, investment, and development, the media centre revealed that Italy is Egypt’s largest European trade partner.
Bilateral trade reached $6.6 billion in 2024, up from $5.9 billion in 2014. Egyptian exports to Italy rose 36 percent over the same period, totaling $3.4 billion in 2024.
Top Egyptian exports to Italy in 2024 included mineral fuels ($1.4 billion), aluminum and products ($473.1 million), and plastics and products ($293.5 million)
Meanwhile, Egypt’s main imports from Italy included machinery and equipment ($863.2 million), mineral fuels ($803.5 million), and electrical appliances ($205.6 million).
Italian investments in Egypt totaled $21 billion by the fiscal year 2023/2024, with 1,328 companies operating with Italian contributions.
Key joint projects include the Egypt-Italy Ro-Ro shipping line, which cut delivery time for agricultural exports from six to 2.5 days, and the development of Egypt’s Zohr gas field in partnership with Italian petroleum giant Eni.
The bilateral cooperation portfolio also saw an increase, reaching €82 million with a focus on sectors such as small and medium enterprises.
Additionally, debt swap programmes between the two countries totalled around $350 million.
Examples of Italian development support as mentioned in the infographs are the assistance to 200 schools in Aswan via the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, a €2.5 million donation for a project promoting employment, and a €3 million grant for technical support in leather, furniture, and marble industrial zones.
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