Pretoria:South Africa elevated its trade and economic ties with Egypt by establishing the Joint South Africa - Egypt Business Council (JBC) during the Alamein-Africa Business Forum.

According to South African Government News Agency, Egypt is a strategic partner for South Africa and represents its largest export market in North Africa. The country has a population of over 102 million and a GDP of $362 billion, offering significant opportunities for South African companies in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Bilateral trade between the two nations has seen an increase, with direct bilateral trade rising by 26% from R3.4 billion in 2024 to R4.3 billion in 2025. South Africa's exports to Egypt grew by 21% during the same period. Despite these positive trends, South Africa maintained a trade deficit with Egypt from 2021 to 2025.

Key initiatives of the JBC include partnerships in mining, automotive, agriculture, engineering, renewable energy, and an Africa Joint-Venture Investment Fund designed to support projects capable of expanding beyond domestic markets.

Parks Tau, the Minister of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, participated in the Africa Automotive Investment Forum held in Egypt. The forum focused on unlocking Africa's automotive industry potential under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement and was hosted by Egypt's Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade alongside Afreximbank and the African Association of Automotive Manufacturers.

The establishment of the JBC aims to deepen bilateral trade and investment by fostering commercial partnerships between South African and Egyptian companies, enhancing their roles as gateways into broader African markets. The forum also highlighted South Africa's position as a key manufacturing and investment hub in the continental automotive value chain.