Egypt's exports to Nile basin countries reached EGP 19.9 billion in 2017, compared to EGP 11.6 billion in 2016, with an increase of 72.1 percent, the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAMPAS) said on Monday.

The Nile basin states group Egypt, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi and Eritrea.

In its annual bulletin titled "Trade exchange between Egypt and the Nile basin countries in 2017", CAPMAS added that Egypt's imports from those countries hit EGP 6.8 billion in 2017 against EGP 3.9 billion in 2016, up 43.5 percent.

The agency added that Sudan topped the list of African countries receiving Egypt's exports, with a total value of EGP 8.1 billion in 2017 versus EGP 6 billion in 2016, registering a 35.9 percent increase.

Sudan imported from Egypt plastics, iron and sugar.

Kenya came in the second place with imports worth EGP 5.3 billion in 2017, compared to EGP 2.8 billion in 2016, with an increase of 88.4 percent.

Egypt's exports to Nairobi included sugar, soap, shampoos and artificial waxes. 

With regard to Egypt's imports from those countries, Kenya topped the list with a total value of EGP 4.7 billion in 2017, against EGP 3 billion in 2016, recording an increase of 57.2 percent.

Cairo's imports from Kenya included coffee, tea and spices.

Sudan ranked second in the list of Egypt's imports, with a total value of EGP 1.9 billion in 2017 versus EGP 700 million in 2016, with an increase of 158.0 percent.

Egypt's imports from Sudan involved livestock, cotton, seeds, olives, medicinal plants and fodder.