Egypt and South Korea have signed a memorandum of understanding to modernise Egypt’s customs system, reduce clearance times and improve efficiency, the Egyptian Customs Authority (ECA) has said.
Under the agreement, Egypt will draw on South Korean technological expertise to expand smart customs systems, strengthen e-commerce operations and develop modern logistics services, ECA head Ahmed Amoui said during the signing ceremony.
The MoU also includes plans to build staff capacity and improve integrated logistics for express mail and fast-track shipments, a segment that has grown rapidly with the rise of online trade.
Amoui said the agreement reflects Egypt’s broader push to deepen technical and technological cooperation with international partners as part of its digital transformation strategy.
Egypt has stepped up efforts in recent years to streamline customs procedures, invest in digital infrastructure and upgrade staff skills through the use of electronic systems, moves aimed at improving the investment climate and trade competitiveness.
As part of the cooperation, the ECA held meetings last week with the Korea Customs Service (KCS) during a visit by a South Korean delegation to Cairo. The talks focused on exchanging expertise and exploring the deployment of smart systems across Egypt’s customs sector.
The KCS delegation also toured Alexandria’s technology ecosystem and reviewed Egypt’s e-commerce framework to identify areas for potential development.
Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk recently announced plans to introduce a new package of customs facilitation measures, although no timeline has been disclosed.
The customs overhaul is part of Egypt’s broader strategy to position itself as a regional manufacturing and export hub serving Africa, Europe and Asia, while easing tax and customs procedures to attract foreign investment.
Customs reform is also a key pillar of Egypt’s programme with the International Monetary Fund, which prioritises digitalisation, simplified procedures and reduced bureaucratic delays to boost investor confidence and trade flows.
Despite the reform push, Egypt’s trade balance weakened in September 2025. Total trade fell 27.6 percent year on year to US$3.3 billion, even as exports rose 28.2 percent to US$4.9 billion from US$3.8 billion a year earlier, official data showed.
