Egypt's Exports to South Korea Increase by 62%

Minister of Trade and Industry Nivine Gamea. (Reuters)
Minister of Trade and Industry Nivine Gamea. (Reuters)
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Egypt's Exports to South Korea Increase by 62%

Minister of Trade and Industry Nivine Gamea. (Reuters)
Minister of Trade and Industry Nivine Gamea. (Reuters)

The value of trade exchange between Egypt and South Korean increased by 46.9% in the first 10 months of 2021, amounting to $890 million, compared to $286.6 million during the same period in 2020, Egypt’s trade minister announced Sunday.

During the same period in 2021, Egypt’s exports to the South Korean market rose by 62.3 percent to reach $531.5 million, up from $327.5 million during the same period in 2020, Minister of Trade and Industry Nivine Gamea said during a virtual meeting with her South Korean counterpart Yeo Han-Koo.

The products exchanged mainly include oil products, cement, granite, aluminum, ready-made garments, machines and equipment, as well as cars and medical devices, Gamea noted.

Cairo is keen to develop joint economic cooperation ties with South Korea to unprecedented levels, the minister stressed.

South Korea is considered one of Egypt’s key trade partners in the Eastern and Southeastern Asia region and a major source for transferring advanced industrial expertise and technologies to the Egyptian industry, she continued.

Visits between both countries’ senior officials have recently intensified, she noted.

Gamea said President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s visit to the Korean capital, Seoul, in 2016 had paved the way for the launch of a new phase of distinguished bilateral ties in various fields and at various levels.

Yeo, for his part, said South Korea hails the great success achieved by the Egyptian economic reform program and its positive contribution to the economy.

He pointed to the 3.6% growth rate in 2020 despite the coronavirus pandemic and its negative repercussions on various global economies.

The Korean government is keen to boost joint cooperation with its Egyptian counterpart in the fields of trade, investment, industry, energy, health, and specifically in means of addressing the pandemic, the minister stated.

He pointed to the importance of joint bilateral cooperation in the areas of trade facilitation and supply chain development to achieve economic recovery for both countries in light of the pandemic.



Saudia Group Signs Deal with Airbus to Acquire up to 20 Wide-Body Aircraft

Saudia Group announced a new aircraft deal with Airbus to enhance its fleet - AFP
Saudia Group announced a new aircraft deal with Airbus to enhance its fleet - AFP
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Saudia Group Signs Deal with Airbus to Acquire up to 20 Wide-Body Aircraft

Saudia Group announced a new aircraft deal with Airbus to enhance its fleet - AFP
Saudia Group announced a new aircraft deal with Airbus to enhance its fleet - AFP

Saudia Group announced in a press release on Wednesday a new aircraft deal with Airbus to enhance its fleet by adding up to 20 new wide-body A330neo aircraft, 10 of which are firm orders for flyadeal, the group’s low-cost carrier.
The signing ceremony was held at the Airbus factory in Toulouse, France, attended by Saudia Group Director General Ibrahim Al-Omar and Airbus Commercial Aircraft business CEO Christian Scherer. The deal was signed by Saudia Group Vice President of Fleet Management Saleh Eid and Airbus Executive Vice President of Sales of Commercial Aircraft Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, SPA reported.
Al-Omar stated: “Today’s deal marks a pivotal milestone in our ambitious strategy to modernize and expand our fleet. It builds on last year’s historic deal with Airbus for 105 aircraft. This step aligns with our national strategies under Saudi Vision 2030, which aim to connect 250 destinations and facilitate the travel of over 330 million travelers and 150 million tourists by 2030.”
He added: “This deal supports Saudia Group’s plans to grow and improve its operations. It adds to the modernization of our fleet, improves aircraft maintenance, and makes our overall operations more efficient.”
According to the release, Saudia Group currently operates a fleet of 194 aircraft, serving commercial aviation, cargo operations, and logistics services. "The group is set for significant expansion, with 191 new aircraft scheduled for delivery in the coming years," it added.