Customs agency warns of losses if Egypt joins Komisa countries

Egypt asked asked to join the group of joint market countries in southern and eastern Africa (Komisa), which includes Ethiopia, Uganda, Angola, Eritrea, The Congo, Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Swaziland, Tanzania, Rwanda, Comoros, and Madagascar.

The group aims to establish a free trade region between its member states by the year 2000 and a customs union by 2004. Komisa's conference at the end of April will discuss Egypt's request to join the group.

The head of the Egyptian customs service, Sayed Ahmed, said in a report to the Foreign Ministry that Egypt's exports to Komisa countries are limited in comparison to its imports. The volume of Egyptian exports to these countries is LE 146.33 million compared to LE 568.3 million in imports.