PATTERNS OF EGYPTIAN FOREIGN TRADE WITH SOME AFRICAN BLOCS

Abstract

Countries are keen to create large economic entities that obtain many of the gains they obtain as a result of the explosion of size and production specialization, which is based on achieving the relative value that each country enjoys from a bloc, which works to excel in the products of these countries and thus increase economic development services. Trade agreements are considered one of the most important goals of economic blocs, Opening markets for exports and increasing the relative and competitive capabilities of national products in a country is the goal of all countries, regardless of their systems. The problem of the study is that Egypt is involved in more than An economic bloc within the borders of the African continent (such as SADC - COMESA - IAAC), the main question of the study is: Does Egypt’s participation in economic blocs affect Egyptian economic growth? The study will address the patterns and flows of foreign trade between Egypt and the three African blocs The study concluded that the results of the gravity model for the IAAC bloc indicated that all variables, whether the GDP variable, the per capita GDP variable, the geographical distance, the common borders, or the common language, were statistically insignificant. As for the SADC and COMESA bloc, the results were significant, and the study recommended the necessity of Canceling Egypt’s membership in the IAAC bloc and strengthening foreign trade between Egypt, the SADC bloc and the COMESA bloc.