The Impact of Trade and Investment Policies on Productive and Decent Work

This Country Report identifies key issues to be addressed and policies and measures to be implemented to realize the potential to create more decent and productive employment in Egypt. The Report argues that trade and investment are key avenues to achieve this goal.

The report assesses trade and investment developments and presents the primary features of FDI, trade, SMEs, and the labour market in Egypt, with a special focus on women and youth. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on trade, investment, and the Egyptian labour market is analysed as well.

Even though the current crisis has disrupted supply chains and the volume of international trade and severely impacted investment, it has also created for Egypt new nearshoring opportunities for the European market, which could further boost export opportunities across different sectors.

The report concludes that a more bottom-up approach to implement trade and investment policies is needed through tripartite social dialogue, to discuss recent policy updates and required reforms. Ultimately, these interventions would optimize the quantity of jobs created in this country and ensure decent work for all.

This report was prepared under Mainstreaming Employment in Trade and Investment in the Southern Neighbourhood of the EU (METI) project, which is funded by European Commission.