Mohammed Salama, Regional Head of Client Coverage at Standard Chartered.
The study, based on a survey of 1,200 senior executives across 17 markets, highlights Egypt’s strategic location and infrastructure investments as key enablers of its growing role in global trade routes.
While trade tariffs remain a concern, 53 percent of corporates identified emerging technologies and global economic growth as the primary drivers shaping trade strategies over the next five years.
Rising costs, estimated to increase by five percent to 14 percent, are prompting firms to rethink sourcing, manufacturing, and treasury management, with digitalization at the core of their response.
Six markets stand out for supply chain realignment: India, Malaysia, Mainland China, Indonesia, the UAE, and the US.
Egypt is viewed as a vital partner, offering access to Africa and the Mediterranean and benefiting from the expansion of economic zones and logistics infrastructure.
Egypt’s integration into new trade corridors presents “greater opportunities to access global markets, reinforcing its position as a regional hub for manufacturing and exports," said Mohammed Salama, regional head of Client Coverage at Standard Chartered.
The report also notes that nearly 40 percent of companies have already adopted supply chain finance platforms, with more than half planning to introduce them soon to improve cash flow and cross-border operations.
Standard Chartered’s findings indicate a challenging yet promising outlook for global trade, with technology, resilience, and regional partnerships set to drive the next phase of growth.
Egypt has recently unveiled its new Economic Development Narrative, which runs through 2030. The plan targets a 20 percent annual increase in exports, with a focus on five high-performing sectors: tourism, ICT, manufacturing, agriculture, and energy.
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