Economy

Egypt to Become BRICS's 'Window' Into Middle East, North Africa - Trade Minister

CAIRO (Sputnik) - After joining BRICS on January 1, 2024, Egypt will open a "window into the Middle East and North Africa" for this bloc and significantly contribute to the group's trade with the region, Egyptian Minister of Industry and Trade Ahmed Samir Saleh told Sputnik.
Sputnik
The accession of Egypt to the group and the decision of the BRICS New Development Bank in December 2021 to admit Egypt into the ranks of its members confirm "the strength of economic and political ties" between Cairo and the group's member states, Saleh added.
"Egypt is BRICS's window into the region of the Middle East and North Africa, and its geographical location also provides it with the opportunity to play a more significant role in selling products of BRICS member states to the African continent," the trade minister said.
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The Egyptian trade minister noted the growth in trade between Egypt and the bloc, saying that in 2022, their total trade amounted to about $31.2 billion, up from $25.5 billion in 2021.
"We believe that joining the group is an opportunity to strengthen constructive cooperation with member states," Saleh said in his interview with Sputnik.
In August 2023, the 15th top-level BRICS summit in Johannesburg extended invitations to Egypt, as well as Argentina, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia to join the bloc. Their full membership took effect on January 1, 2024, except for Argentina, which abandoned its plans to join the group under the new president, Javier Milei.
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