Germany seeks to enhance trade ties with Egypt

Officials at the German -Arab Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Cairo discussed the possibility of enhancing trade ties between Germany and Egypt on one side and with Arab states on the other.

The German Charge D'Affaires in Iraq along with the chamber's officials in Cairo talked to senior representatives of German firms working in Egypt about the possibility of exporting their products to Iraq, a press release from the chamber distributed in Cairo said yesterday.

"Germany wants to maintain the good cooperation it has with its partners," the Charge D'Affaires stressed.

The press release said Cairo's meeting with German officials focused on the possibility of exporting German products that are manufactured in Cairo, especially after Egypt signed free trade zone agreement with both Iraq and Syria in January.

Egyptian export to Iraq are expected to rise to $ 1 billion per year, according to the press rlease.

The bulk of the exports will be in food, building materials, cars and other industrial products.

Egypt is the fourth-largest exporter to Iraq after France, Russia and China, Executive director of the chamber in Cairo, Peter Goegfrich, said in the press release.

Marketing products manufactured in Egypt under German licences is a way to enhance trade ties between Germany and Iraq, noted Goepfrich, adding that the Chamber is promoting the slogan "German quality, Egyptian manufacturing."