Cairo: The trade volume between Egypt and Zambia saw a significant decline, reaching $96 million in 2024, a sharp decrease from $183 million in the previous year.

According to State Information Service Egypt, despite the overall drop in trade, Egyptian exports to Zambia experienced notable growth, climbing to $32 million in 2024 from $18 million in 2023.

The primary driver behind the increase in Egyptian exports was the surge in pharmaceutical products, which accounted for $14.7 million. Other significant contributors included food preparations at $4.4 million, sugar and sugar products at $3.3 million, and plastics and plastic products at $2.9 million. In contrast, Egypt’s imports from Zambia saw a substantial reduction, falling to $64 million in 2024 from the previous year’s $165 million. Copper remained the dominant import commodity, making up $62 million of the total imports.

Investment flows between the two nations exhibited varied trends. Zambian investments in Egypt rose significantly, amounting to $327,000 in 2023/2024, a considerable increase from $54,000 the previous year. However, Egyptian investments in Zambia experienced a sharp decline, dropping to $311,000 in 2023/2024 from $4.9 million in 2022/2023. These changes underscore evolving trade dynamics and investment patterns between Egypt and Zambia, suggesting a potential restructuring of economic relations in the future.