Prospects for Improved Egypt-Sudan Trade Ties

The Eshkeet crossing on the Egyptian-Sudanese border. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Eshkeet crossing on the Egyptian-Sudanese border. Asharq Al-Awsat
TT

Prospects for Improved Egypt-Sudan Trade Ties

The Eshkeet crossing on the Egyptian-Sudanese border. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Eshkeet crossing on the Egyptian-Sudanese border. Asharq Al-Awsat

Egypt and Sudan have concluded trade talks described as successful following months of chill in the economic relations of the two neighboring countries.

Sudanese Minister of Trade Hatim Al-Sir, who was in Egypt to attend a forum in the resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, met with his Egyptian counterpart Tareq Qabil in Cairo on Thursday.

The two ministers discussed ways to revive economic agreements between the two countries.

They agreed to hold technical meetings at the level of experts, followed by a joint ministerial committee meeting in order to announce a trade and economic deal that solves all pending issues.

Trade relations between the two countries suffered from a chill after Sudan’s ban last year of the import of Egyptian products. This prompted a similar move by Cairo which stopped the entry of several Sudanese products that used to reach the Egyptian market without permits and licenses.

Following Thursday’s talks with Qabil, Al-Sir said that the Sudanese leadership is keen on the reactivation of trade ties and the increase in trade volume with Egypt.

As for the Egyptian minister, he stressed Cairo’s keenness on activating and implementing agreements signed between the two countries.



Morocco Receives 17.4 Million Tourists in 2024, Up 20% on 2023

FILE PHOTO: People walk outside the Cinema Museum of Ouarzazate, Morocco, October 23, 2024. REUTERS/Stelios Misinas/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: People walk outside the Cinema Museum of Ouarzazate, Morocco, October 23, 2024. REUTERS/Stelios Misinas/File Photo
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Morocco Receives 17.4 Million Tourists in 2024, Up 20% on 2023

FILE PHOTO: People walk outside the Cinema Museum of Ouarzazate, Morocco, October 23, 2024. REUTERS/Stelios Misinas/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: People walk outside the Cinema Museum of Ouarzazate, Morocco, October 23, 2024. REUTERS/Stelios Misinas/File Photo

Morocco received a record 17.4 million tourists in 2024, up 20% compared with previous year, with Moroccans living abroad accounting for nearly half the total, the tourism ministry said on Thursday.
Tourism accounts for about 7% of the North African country's gross domestic product and is a key source of jobs and foreign currency, Reuters reported.
The number of arrivals this year was two years ahead of target, the ministry said in a statement. It expects Morocco to receive 26 million tourists by 2030, when the country co-hosts the World Cup, together with Spain and Portugal.
Morocco has opened additional air routes to key tourist markets, while promoting new destinations within the country and encouraging the renovation of hotels.
From January to November, tourism revenue rose 7.2% to a record 104 billion dirhams, according to Morocco's foreign exchange regulator.