Egyptian exports to countries along the Nile reached LE5.546 billion in 2010, up 24.4 per cent on trading volume the year before, according to state figures released this week.

But data from official statistics agency CAPMAS also showed the volume of goods imported by Egypt from Nile neighbours stayed relatively steady, up a mere 0.9 per cent to LE1.52bn from LE1.51bn in 2009.

The majority of exports went to Sudan which received 60.1 per cent of Egypt’s southbound products, slipping from 70 per cent in 2009. Main imports from Egypt were iron, steel and sugar.

Kenya’s share of Egyptian exports climbed markedly, from 14.5 to 24.6 per cent between 2009 and 2010, its orders of paper, paperboard and sugar, making it the second largest receiver of Egyptian goods.

The balance of exports was taken up by Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania and Congo.

In terms of goods flowing north, it was a different story, as Egyptians' addiction to steaming beverages meant imports from Kenya – much of it tea – made up a mighty 76.8 per cent of Nile country imports, up from 76.6 per cent in 2009.

By contrast, second-ranking Sudan was responsible for just 15.4 per cent of Egyptian imports in 2010, much of it cotton, seeds and seed oils.