On the sidelines of the Egyptian trade mission for food, printing, and packaging industries, held from 19-23 November, 2023, a cooperation protocol was signed between Egypt’s Export Council for Printing, Packaging, Paper, Literary and Artistic Works and Algerian Confederation of Employers (CAP), to help Egyptian companies gain better access to the Algerian market.
The protocol was signed by Sara Ibrahim, Executive Director of the Export Council for Printing and Packaging, and Nasreddin Harek, Board Member of CAP and President of the National Federation of Transport and Tourism, in the presence of Dr. Yasser Qarni, Head of Commercial Office of the Egyptian Embassy in Algeria, and a number of representatives of the Egyptian trade mission, the Algerian confederation, and business communities.
Sara Ibrahim, Executive Director of Egypt’s Export Council, said that the aim of the mission is to increase exports of the printing, packaging, and paper sectors to the Algerian market, expand communication channels with Algerian companies, hold bilateral meetings, and identify market needs there. She pointed out that the Export Council strives to achieve real growth in the sector’s exports to markets in North Africa.
She said that the printing, packaging, and paper sectors aim to increase its exports to Algeria in the range of 10% to 15% in 2024. Algeria had imports worth $36 million in 2022, equivalent to 3.4% of Egypt’s total exports, amounting to $1.069 billion in 2022.
Ibrahim said that Algeria is one of the largest import markets, with imports worth about $47 billion, and is witnessing remarkable economic growth. She also stressed that Egyptian firms can capitalize on the business opportunities available in Algeria, which includes sectors as diverse as food, printing, and packaging. With these sectors witnessing a growing demand for high-quality products in Algeria, Egyptian companies have a great opportunity to meet the needs of the Algerian market in areas such as food packaging, supply of printing and packaging equipment, and providing related design and marketing services.
Ibrahim further elaborated that Egyptian products are popular in Algeria due to several factors, including cultural similarities, geographical proximity, ease of shipping, and customs privileges under the Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA) Agreement and the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, which are expected to come into force during the coming period.
