The volume of trade exchange between Egypt and Italy hit two billion dollars during six months of the past fiscal year 2017-18, Transport Minister Hesham Arafat said on Tuesday.

The minister made the remarks during his participation in an Egyptian-Italian dialogue forum, organized by the ministry's maritime transport sector in cooperation with the Italian Embassy in Cairo and the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport.

Addressing the forum, Arafat said Italy is a "strategic partner" and is currently at the fifth position on the list of the investing countries in Egypt.

The forum is of great importance as it would help revive mutual cooperation in the maritime field, he added.

Italian Ambassador to Egypt Giampaolo Cantini said this forum provides a great opportunity to develop and strengthen relations between Egyptian and Italian companies in the field of maritime transport.