Trade between Egypt and Singapore declined sharply in the first half of 2025, according to new data released by Egypt’s Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS).
The announcement coincided with the state visit of Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam to Cairo, where he met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to discuss ways of strengthening bilateral ties.
Total trade between the two nations reached $137 million in the first six months of 2025, down from $316.9 million during the same period last year. Officials attributed the drop mainly to a significant fall in Egyptian imports from Singapore.
Despite the overall decline, Egypt’s exports to Singapore showed modest growth, climbing to $12.2 million from $11 million a year earlier. Agricultural products dominated the export basket, with fruits and vegetables alone accounting for $8.4 million. Ready-made garments contributed $1 million, while other mixed goods totaled $2.8 million.
Analysts say the figures highlight the resilience of Egyptian agricultural exports in highly competitive Asian markets.
Imports from Singapore fell dramatically to $124.8 million in H1 2025, compared with $305.9 million in the same period of 2024. Key imports included cocoa and derivatives ($23.6 million), organic chemicals ($15.6 million), machinery and electrical equipment ($14.7 million), optical and cinematic devices ($13.7 million), and pharmaceuticals ($10.6 million).
On the investment front, Singaporean inflows into Egypt remained relatively stable at $210.3 million in the first half of fiscal year 2024/2025, compared with $205.3 million a year earlier. Conversely, Egyptian investments in Singapore dropped to $21.6 million, down from $30.9 million.
Remittances also reflected a positive trend. Transfers from Egyptians working in Singapore rose to $30.3 million in FY 2023/2024, up from $23.6 million in the previous year, reflecting stronger income levels and closer ties with Egypt’s domestic economy. Transfers from Singaporeans working in Egypt, however, edged down to $1 million from $1.6 million.
The trade and investment figures underscore stark demographic contrasts between the two countries. As of September 2025, Egypt’s population reached 108.1 million, compared with Singapore’s 5.9 million. Experts argue that this gap defines different market dynamics and consumer demand patterns, shaping future trade prospects.
President Shanmugaratnam’s visit, marked by high-level talks at Egypt’s presidential palace in Heliopolis, comes at a time when both countries are seeking to diversify cooperation beyond traditional trade. While the sharp fall in trade volume highlights challenges, officials on both sides point to opportunities in agriculture, technology, and industrial investment as new frontiers for partnership.
Follow the latest news on Google News
