Photo courtesy of The Egyptian Customs Authority
Under the agreement, the customs authority will use ECS systems to speed up clearance procedures, including access to the service’s risk management tools and its network of producing and supplying companies abroad to support automated verification and valuation of imported goods. The ECS serves as Egypt’s trade promotion arm, facilitating Egyptian business activity overseas.
The deal is intended to strengthen pre- and post-arrival verification of commercial data, shipping documents, and declared product values before shipments reach Egyptian ports, according to Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk and Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Hassan El-Khatib, who attended the signing.
Officials said the cooperation is expected to improve the accuracy of customs data, enhance operational efficiency at ports, and support Egypt’s broader trade and investment system, as part of a forthcoming package of customs facilitation measures that has yet to be formally announced.
The agreement comes as Egypt seeks to improve its investment climate and boost foreign currency inflows. The government has set targets of attracting $24.6 billion in annual foreign direct investment (FDI) and raising total exports to $145 billion by 2030.
In recent years, Egypt has stepped up efforts to shorten customs clearance times through digitalization and upgrades to risk assessment systems at the ECA, to reduce bottlenecks and improve port efficiency.
The authority has expanded automation and introduced AI-based classification tools, including the Advance Cargo Information (ACI) system, across sea and air imports. The ACI system requires shipment data and documents to be submitted electronically before cargo departs for Egypt, allowing customs to conduct checks in advance.
Since the ACI system was rolled out at seaports in early 2024, authorities have issued around 2.5 million customs clearance certificates, according to official figures.
Despite these measures, Egypt’s trade performance has remained under pressure. Trade fell 27.6 percent year on year to $3.3 billion in September 2025, according to official data, even as exports rose 28.2 percent to $4.9 billion, up from $3.8 billion in the same month of 2024.
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