Saudi Arabia and Egypt
Political coordination, business activity and mobility connect two major countries in the Arab world. The supreme coordination council and its economic committee seek to organise a broad agenda. Investment, trade, transport and employment have their own measures, which should not be replaced by the amount in an announcement.
Analysis reviewed: 2026-10-07 · Indicators updated: 2026-10-07A political agenda organised through institutions
The Egyptian communication of September 2025 describes the development of cooperation through the supreme coordination council.
Trade, customs and transport
The first meeting of the economic committee, in October 2025, covered trade balance, customs, transport and logistics.
Bilateral indicators
Blank cells: data unavailable.
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Goods trade | 9,483.08 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade |
| Goods: Saudi Arabia to Egypt | 2,872.72 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade |
| Goods: Egypt to Saudi Arabia | 6,610.36 M USD | 2025 · UN Comtrade |
| Services trade | ||
| Export share: Saudi Arabia to Egypt | ||
| Export share: Egypt to Saudi Arabia | ||
| Investment stock: Saudi Arabia in Egypt | ||
| Investment stock: Egypt in Saudi Arabia |
Definitions and sources
Trade adds both directions. Shares refer to the country’s total goods exports; investment is an accumulated stock, not an annual flow. Every figure retains the currency and period of its source. BEA positions are historical-cost estimates based on the immediate counterpart, not market values or investment by ultimate owner. ‘More than’ indicates a lower bound, not an exact amount. A recorded stock does not establish new activity or authorisation to operate under sanctions.
- Goods trade
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / 682 · Goods, full year; UN Comtrade reporter 682, partner 818. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the source. No addition of mirror reports; direction adjusted to the order of the profile.
- Goods: Saudi Arabia to Egypt
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / 682 · Goods, full year; UN Comtrade reporter 682, partner 818. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the source. No addition of mirror reports; direction adjusted to the order of the profile.
- Goods: Egypt to Saudi Arabia
- 2025 · UN Comtrade / 682 · Goods, full year; UN Comtrade reporter 682, partner 818. Exports normally FOB and imports CIF according to the source. No addition of mirror reports; direction adjusted to the order of the profile.
Country comparison
Period and source beside each figure · est. = estimate by the stated institution.
| Indicator | Saudi Arabia | Egypt |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal GDP | 1.28 trillion USD2025 · WB | 365.25 billion USD2025 · WB |
| GDP per capita | 34,536.66 USD2025 · WB | 3,085.81 USD2025 · WB |
| GDP growth | 4.5 %2025 · WB | 4.39 %2025 · WB |
| Policy interest rate | 4.5 %2026-09-16 · SAMA | |
| Inflation · annual average | 2.08 %Annual average · 2025 · WB | 14.07 %Annual average · 2025 · WB |
| Inflation · latest year-on-year figure | 1.8 %Headline CPI · 2026-08 · year-on-year · SAMA / GASTAT | 14.5 %Urban headline CPI · 2026-08 · year-on-year · CBE / CAPMASUrban coverage; not national CPI |
| Unemployment | 3.04 %ILO est.2025 · WB | 6.78 %ILO est.2025 · WB |
| Budget balance (% of GDP) | -5.8 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | -6.6 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Gross public debt (% of GDP) | 31.7 %IMF est.2025 · IMF | 86.8 %IMF est.2025 · IMF |
| Current account balance (% of GDP) | -2.56 %2025 · WB | -3.82 %2025 · WB |
| Population | 36,973,5552025 · WB | 118,365,9952025 · WB |
| Area | 2,149,690 km²2023 · WB | 1,001,450 km²2023 · WB |
| Military expenditure | ||
| Military expenditure (% of GDP) |
Definitions, dates and sources
Blank cells are not zero. Average annual inflation and the latest year-on-year figure appear in separate rows: they are not the same measure. Every annual indicator retains its reference year; when the years differ, the figures are identified as not directly comparable. When a figure is unavailable from the World Bank, an annual IMF estimate is used and identified as such. The latest year-on-year figure is the latest official release verified as of 7 October 2026. This includes advance releases marked as provisional. Mexico may have a fortnightly figure before the full month is published; it is not automatically compared with a monthly figure. The publication date is retained in each source’s details; it does not replace the observation period or the annual average. Policy rates carry their own dates and represent different instruments. Spain and France share the ECB rate. Balances are positive for surpluses and negative for deficits. The IMF may use fiscal years; unemployment retains each source’s definition (ILO estimates, IMF WEO or PCBS), as stated in the details. For Palestine, debt and the fiscal balance cover central government and retain the PCBS definition; they are not presented as consolidated general government. These are economic magnitudes, not measures of relationship quality.
Area retains each source’s territorial coverage; it does not determine sovereignty or effective control. Canada uses an archived national geographic reference. Military expenditure retains the 2024 SIPRI sample distributed by the World Bank: the amount and percentage of GDP use that same definition, which differs from NATO’s. It is not an approved budget or a 2026 figure. Information from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Military expenditure database · Terms of use0
Indicators reviewed: 2026-10-07. Each source retains its original access date; this review does not turn all the data into 2026 observations. Figures may be revised.
- Nominal GDP
- Current USDSaudi Arabia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Egypt: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- GDP per capita
- Current USD per personSaudi Arabia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Egypt: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- GDP growth
- Annual real change (%)Saudi Arabia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Egypt: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Policy interest rate
- Central bank instrument (%)Saudi Arabia: 2026-09-16 · Repo rate; not reverse repo (4.00%) · SAMA · Official central-bank decision; not a commercial lending rate or a bill yield.
- Inflation · annual average
- Average annual change in headline CPI (%)Saudi Arabia: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Egypt: 2025 · Annual average change in the CPI (%) · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Inflation · latest year-on-year figure
- Headline CPI relative to the same period of the previous year (%); monthly or fortnightly frequency statedSaudi Arabia: 2026-08 · Year-on-year inflation; official SAMA / GASTAT indicator · SAMA / GASTAT · August 2026 indicator verified in SAMA's indexed version. The dynamic homepage does not expose the value in HTML without JavaScript; publication date unavailable. · Alternative official source; verified 2026-10-07Egypt: 2026-08 · CAPMAS urban headline CPI; year-on-year change · CBE / CAPMAS · Published: 2026-09-10 · Explicit urban coverage, distinct from other countries' national CPI; core inflation is not used. Official statement verified in the search index; the CBE server blocks direct access. · Alternative official source; verified 2026-10-07
- Unemployment
- % of the labour force; definition used by the stated institutionSaudi Arabia: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate, % of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Egypt: 2025 · ILO modelled estimate, % of the labour force · World Bank · ILO est. · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Budget balance
- General government (% of GDP)Saudi Arabia: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO estimate, not a monthly observation. Retains the country's fiscal year where it differs from the calendar year.Egypt: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO estimate, not a monthly observation. Retains the country's fiscal year where it differs from the calendar year.
- Gross public debt
- General government (% of GDP)Saudi Arabia: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO estimate, not a monthly observation. Retains the country's fiscal year where it differs from the calendar year.Egypt: 2025 · IMF · IMF est. · IMF WEO estimate, not a monthly observation. Retains the country's fiscal year where it differs from the calendar year.
- Current account balance
- % of GDPSaudi Arabia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Egypt: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Population
- PeopleSaudi Arabia: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query. Extrapolated assuming the same growth rate as the previous year.Egypt: 2025 · World Bank · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Area
- Total area in km²; territorial coverage of the sourceSaudi Arabia: 2023 · World Bank / FAO · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.Egypt: 2023 · World Bank / FAO · Official World Bank series; latest verified period available for this series in the 2023–2025 query.
- Military expenditure
- Current USD per year; SIPRI series
- Military expenditure (% of GDP)
- Percentage of GDP; SIPRI definition, not NATO’s definition
Other data specific to this relationship
What they buy and sell
Documented selection, not an exhaustive list. Cells without a figure do not mean zero value; some products are identified without a verified amount.
Saudi Arabia to Egypt
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
Egypt to Saudi Arabia
| Product or sector | Value / share |
|---|---|
Connections between people
Labour mobility and travel require their own figures and coverage; they are not inferred from the size of a fund or commitments made at a meeting. [2]
Residents, study and travel
Blank cells: data unavailable. Each measure retains its definition and period.
| Indicator | Value | Period / source |
|---|---|---|
| Residents from Saudi Arabia living in Egypt | ||
| Residents from Egypt living in Saudi Arabia | ||
| Study and training: Saudi Arabia in Egypt | ||
| Study and training: Egypt in Saudi Arabia | ||
| Academic stays: Saudi Arabia in Egypt | ||
| Academic stays: Egypt in Saudi Arabia | ||
| Travel: Saudi Arabia to Egypt | ||
| Travel: Egypt to Saudi Arabia |
What each figure measures
Residents are counted by nationality and the coverage of the stated register, not as people born in the other country or as new arrivals in one year. PERE includes dual nationals and people born outside Spain. Study with OPT and stays carrying academic credit are different measures. Travel may include several visits by the same person; FRONTUR arrivals require an overnight stay, whereas the Canadian survey includes day visits. These figures are neither added together nor automatically compared across directions.
Mobility data added or reviewed: 2026-10-07. Reference periods may be earlier.
Underlying ties
History, institutions and long-standing issues.
A political agenda organised through institutions
The Egyptian communication of September 2025 describes the development of cooperation through the supreme coordination council. This channel brings together issues involving different ministries. It does not mean that all foreign policy decisions of both governments are identical. The bilateral relationship has its own mechanisms, while regional contacts and their effects on third countries must be examined separately. [1]
Trade, customs and transport
The first meeting of the economic committee, in October 2025, covered trade balance, customs, transport and logistics. It is a practical agenda for facilitating exchanges, not an annual goods value. Conditions for movement affect businesses and supply chains. An announcement of customs coordination does not establish the removal of all controls, and total trade cannot be estimated by adding project budgets or investment announcements. [2]
Funds and projects at different stages
The committee addressed coordination between the Egyptian and Saudi sovereign wealth funds and implementation of the 2024 investment agreement. A framework for protecting or promoting investment establishes conditions; it does not by itself report capital actually disbursed. The selection of sectors or projects also has a negotiation phase. The stock table therefore remains separate from commitments and does not convert business objectives into observed figures. [2]
Industry and services as an economic agenda
The October communication includes industrial sectors, logistics and digital payments within several pillars of cooperation. This breadth shows that the bilateral economy extends beyond goods or energy. Each area requires its own follow-up: administrative agreements, business participation and measured results are not equivalent. Readers benefit from knowing what is being negotiated and which indicators record actual activity, without presenting every priority as a completed result. [2]
Recent developments
Recent developments and latest available data · Reviewed: 2026-10-07
Regional diplomacy and the bilateral relationship
The coordination council places cooperation in an Arab and regional setting. The Saudi–Iranian agreement announced in Beijing in 2023 illustrates another process that may affect that setting, but it is not a treaty between Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The profile distinguishes the parties to each instrument and does not attribute commitments signed by others to the Egyptian Government. Regional decisions are presented as context, separate from bilateral institutions and data. [1] [3]
What recorded goods show
In 2025, recorded goods trade was 9,483.08 million USD. Shipments from Saudi Arabia to Egypt were 2,872.72 million USD, and those in the reverse direction were 6,610.36 million USD. A single reporter is used for both directions. The difference between these flows describes the goods balance in that source, not the entire economic balance: services, affiliate activity and investment have separate measures. [4]
Milestones and consequences
Sources and data
Periods and scope of the figures
Each figure retains its period, currency, definition and source. Blank cells are not zero. Policy documents are distinguished from statistical results, and projects under way from announcements.
- Cooperation through the supreme council
Egypt's State Information Service · Institutional source · Document: 2025-09-19 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- First meeting of the economic committee
Egypt's State Information Service · Institutional source · Document: 2025-10-06 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- Beijing Saudi–Iranian agreement: regional framework
Joint statement / China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs · Institutional source · Document: 2023-03-10 · Accessed: 2026-10-07
- 2025 TOTAL X/M; reporter=682; partner=818; 72 returned records; France statistical code 251, not ISO numeric 250
UN Comtrade / 682 · Institutional source · Accessed: 2026-10-07