
Egypt's Ready-Made Garment Exports Surge 24% in Q1 2025, Reaching $812M
February saw a particularly strong performance, with exports soaring 35 percent to $276 million, compared to $205 million in February 2024. January also recorded steady growth, with exports rising by 11 percent to $274 million, up from $246 million the previous year. The United States remained the largest market for Egyptian garments, with exports rising by 12 percent year-on-year to $299 million. Europe followed closely behind, with a 43 percent increase, reaching $206 million in Q1.
The export growth was widespread across various regions. Exports to Arab countries surged by 49 percent to $148 million, while exports to non-Arab African nations experienced the highest growth rate, climbing by 121 percent. Exports to other global markets also rose by 49 percent, mirroring the performance seen in the Arab region.
Fadel Marzouk, Chairperson of the AECE, credited the positive results to a comprehensive strategy aimed at boosting Egypt's global competitiveness in the garment sector. Key initiatives have included offering technical training for producers, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), enhancing marketing efforts abroad, and addressing export-related challenges. These measures have strengthened Egypt's position in the international market.
Looking ahead, Marzouk reaffirmed the AECE's goal of achieving 35 percent export growth by the end of 2025, with the ambitious target of doubling garment exports to $12 billion by 2031. This growth will be driven by expanding into African and Asian markets, leveraging Egypt's trade agreements, and focusing on higher value-added production. As part of this strategy, the AECE is working on modernizing production lines and developing two integrated textile and garment cities in Fayoum and Minya to support the sector's long-term development.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily News Egypt
an hour ago
- Daily News Egypt
MSMEDA expands partnership with Japan's JICA to boost youth-led industrial projects
Bassel Rahmy, CEO of Egypt's Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA), has met with Yu Ebisawa, the newly appointed Resident Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Egypt, to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation aimed at supporting youth-led industrial and productive enterprises. This marks Ebisawa's first official visit to MSMEDA since assuming his post in 2025. The meeting was attended by Raafat Abbas, Deputy CEO of MSMEDA, along with senior officials from both MSMEDA and JICA. Rahmy reaffirmed the agency's commitment to deepening its collaboration with JICA to transfer Japanese expertise to Egyptian industrial enterprises. He stressed the importance of helping small and medium-sized businesses improve production quality, meet international standards, and increase their ability to serve domestic demand and access global markets. This approach, he noted, aligns with Egypt's broader strategy to reduce imports and preserve foreign currency reserves. The discussions also reviewed the progress of an ongoing technical cooperation project between MSMEDA and JICA, which provides business development services to enhance enterprise competitiveness. Current efforts are concentrated in the food processing sector in Minya and the plastics manufacturing sector in Alexandria. Rahmy noted that future cooperation will focus particularly on expanding support for industrial and feeder industries—sectors that play a critical role in integrated value chains and have significant potential for job creation and economic impact. For his part, Yu Ebisawa expressed his appreciation for the strong and productive partnership with MSMEDA and affirmed JICA's readiness to continue and strengthen cooperation in support of small enterprise development and enhanced productivity across Egypt.


Daily News Egypt
an hour ago
- Daily News Egypt
Egypt, South Africa pledge to deepen development cooperation at G20 meeting
Egypt and South Africa have pledged to deepen their cooperation on development and align their perspectives on regional and global issues, Egypt's planning ministry said, following a meeting between the two countries' ministers on the sidelines of the G20 Development Ministerial Meetings. In a statement, the ministry said Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, Rania Al-Mashat, met with Maropene Lydia Ramokgopa, South Africa's Minister in the Presidency for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, during the meetings hosted and chaired by South Africa. Al-Mashat expressed Egypt's appreciation for the invitation to participate in the G20 meetings, where it has been a guest nation for the past five years. She affirmed Egypt's commitment to coordinating with South Africa during its G20 presidency to advance the restructuring of the global financial system and achieve tangible progress in development financing. The minister also commended South Africa's leadership for highlighting the development challenges facing the African continent. The two ministers emphasised the strategic importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in fostering economic growth and regional integration and called for closer cooperation to support its implementation. They also stressed the importance of expanding infrastructure projects across the continent, such as the Cairo–Cape Town Corridor, to drive development and boost competitiveness. Al-Mashat showcased Egypt's national structural reform programme and its flagship 'NWFE' programme for mobilising climate finance, noting that it was included, along with South Africa's national climate platform, in the final communiqué of the recent Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville. For her part, the South African minister praised Egypt's leadership in advancing development across Africa and amplifying the continent's voice in global forums. She commended Egypt's leadership of the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), which the African Union recently extended until February 2026. Al-Mashat also welcomed the final ministerial declaration from the G20 meetings, which emphasised the need to broaden social protection systems, combat illicit financial flows, and prioritise domestic resource mobilisation to close development financing gaps.


Daily News Egypt
an hour ago
- Daily News Egypt
Al-Sisi reviews transport, industry projects, urges drive to make Egypt global logistics hub
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi held a meeting on Sunday with Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Transport and Industry Kamel Al-Wazir, and Presidential Financial Advisor General Ahmed El-Shazly to review the progress of key transport and industrial development projects, according to a statement by the presidency. Presidential spokesperson Mohamed El-Shennawy said the meeting focused on advancing railway projects, particularly the Arish–Taba line and the Bir Al-Abd–Arish extension, which are designed to spur development in the Sinai Peninsula and create a logistics corridor linking the Red Sea to the Mediterranean. The discussions also included updates on the development and modernisation of major seaports, including Ras Sudr, Gargoub, Abu Qir, Greater Alexandria, New El-Mex, Ain Sokhna, Taba, and Damietta, recognising their central role in Egypt's national economic strategy. Progress on Cairo's fourth metro line and the high-speed electric rail network was also reviewed, as part of broader efforts to modernise Egypt's transport infrastructure and enhance connectivity across the country. The meeting further addressed plans to develop industrial zones in Upper Egypt, particularly in Wadi Al-Saririya and Al-Matahara in Minya, as well as northern Fayoum. These projects aim to stimulate industrial activity in underdeveloped regions and create employment opportunities, especially in labour-intensive sectors such as textiles and ready-made garments. President Al-Sisi stressed the importance of completing all projects according to schedule and directed continued work to establish integrated logistics corridors that seamlessly connect industrial zones to Egypt's upgraded ports. He underlined that these initiatives must be integrated with the country's modern network of roads, highways, and railways to strengthen Egypt's position as a global trade and logistics hub.