Trading Partner Portal: Egypt
Overview
Trade Overview
Egypt spans the northeast corner of Africa and is considered a Mediterranean country. Egypt is considered a cradle of civilization, as it’s able to trace its history back longer than any other country. Islam is the official religion of Egypt and Arabic the official language, although there is a significant Christian minority in the country. The population of Egypt is 118.37 million, making it the most populous country in North Africa, the Middle East, and the Arab world, and the third most populous in Africa. The Sahara Desert makes up large regions of Egyptian land.
Egyptian GDP was $365.25 billion in 2025. Its economy is the second or third largest in Africa, in competition with South Africa, and one of the largest and most diversified in the Middle East. (Bureau of Economic Analysis).
U.S. – Egypt Trade
Two-way trade between the U.S. and Egypt totaled $12.28 billion, with exports from the U.S. to Egypt in 2025 totaled $9.42 billion. Top exports included oil & gas ($3.66 billion), agricultural products ($1.99 billion), chemicals ($1.14 billion), transportation equipment ($699 million), and minerals & ores ($394 million)
The U.S.’s imports from Egypt were $2.85 billion in 2025, with apparel and accessories totaling $1.31 billion. This was followed by processed foods ($479 million), chemicals ($224 million), primary metals manufactures ($197 million), and nonmetallic mineral products ($140 million). U.S. Department of Commerce
California – Egypt Trade
California exports to Egypt totaled $176 million in 2025, a 35% increase when compared to exports from 2024. Top exports included non-electrical machinery ($75 million), agricultural products ($38 million), computer & electronic products ($20 million), processed foods ($10 million), and transportation equipment ($7 million).
Imports from Egypt to California totaled $267 million in 2025, a 20 5 increase when compared to 2024 imports. Top imports were processed foods ($ 108 million), apparel and accessories ($105 million), textile mill products ($19 million), nonmetallic mineral products ($9 million), and electrical equipment, appliances 7 components ($9 million). U.S. Department of Commerce
FDI – Egypt
In 2024, the U.S invested $11.9 billion in Egypt, an almost 2.8% increase from 2023.
Trade Agreements
Trade Agreements
African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)
According to the USTR, AGOA provides eligible sub-Saharan African countries with duty-free access to the U.S. market for more than 1,800 products, in addition to the more than 5,000 products that are eligible for duty-free access under the Generalized System of Preferences program. Thirty-two countries currently are eligible for AGOA benefits.
To meet AGOA’s rigorous eligibility requirements, countries must establish or make continual progress toward establishing a market-based economy, the rule of law, political pluralism, and the right to due process. Additionally, countries must eliminate barriers to U.S. trade and investment, and enact policies to reduce poverty, combat corruption and protect human rights.
By providing new market opportunities, AGOA has helped bolster economic growth, promoted economic and political reform, and improved U.S. economic relations in the region.
Congress first passed the program in 2000, when Bill Clinton was president, and has renewed it several times with bipartisan support.
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (extended to 2025, initially was enacted in 2000, eliminating duties on imports from African nations into the United States if those nations made significant efforts to open their economies.
Since its inception, AGOA has helped increase U.S. two-way trade with sub-Saharan Africa. In 2015, U.S. exports with the AGOA nations totaled $17.5 billion, nearly triple the amount in 2002.
The latest 10-year extension expired on September 30, 2025, and Congress had been slow to renew the program.
On February 3, 2026, President Trump signed legislation that reauthorizes the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) trade preference program through the end of the year. This was a part of the $1.2 trillion spending package that also reopened the government after a brief partial shutdown.
This retroactively applies from September 30, 2025, when the program expired, through December 31, 2026.
This extension came so that AGOA can be modernized and align with President Trumps American First agenda.
Events
Events