In a move to reinforce Egypt’s role in international trade, Abdel Aziz Elsherif, head of the Egyptian Commercial Service (ECS), met with Fadel Marzouk, chairperson of the Apparel Export Council of Egypt (AECE), to outline strategies aimed at expanding the country’s textile and garment exports.
The talks highlighted the need for tighter coordination between the ECS and industry export councils to help local manufacturers gain wider access to global markets. Elsherif underscored the crucial role of Egypt’s commercial offices abroad, which provide market intelligence, technical insights, and export regulation guidance. He called for leveraging these offices more effectively to connect Egyptian exporters with international buyers through trade fairs, export missions, and direct business meetings.
With global supply chains shifting amid geopolitical pressures, Elsherif identified Europe as a prime growth market, positioning Egypt as a reliable alternative supplier. He stressed that ECS will continue to monitor high-potential regions and deliver real-time data to exporters to sharpen their competitiveness.
On the industry side, Marzouk shared that Egypt’s garment exports have surged. From January to June 2025, exports climbed to $1.608 billion, up from $1.283 billion during the same period in 2024—a 25% year-on-year increase. He projected full-year growth between 25% and 30%, citing strong demand from key markets.
Looking forward, AECE has set an ambitious target of $12 billion in garment exports by 2031, aligning with plans to attract new foreign investment from textile powerhouses such as Turkey, China, Vietnam, and India. Marzouk also pointed to Africa as a rising priority, noting the continent’s growing consumer base and expanding middle class.
The meeting concluded with a joint plan for AECE to provide the ECS with detailed data on production capacity and target markets, enabling Egyptian trade officials to refine marketing strategies and align export promotion more closely with international opportunities.
