CAIRO, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's non-oil exports grew by 21 percent year-on-year to 36.639 billion U.S. dollars during the January-September period of 2025, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Hassan El-Khatib said on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the trade deficit narrowed by 18 percent to 22.772 billion dollars, compared with 27.877 billion dollars during the same period last year, the minister said in a statement, while reviewing the latest report from the country's General Organization for Export and Import Control.

The United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Italy, and the United States topped the list of Egypt's major non-oil export destinations during the first nine months. Exports to these five markets collectively surged 42 percent to 14.774 billion dollars.

Among key non-oil sectors, building materials led with 11.688 billion U.S. dollars, followed by chemicals and fertilizers, food industries, engineering and electronics, and agricultural crops.

El-Khatib said the increase is driven by stronger competitiveness and expanded market access, and added that the ministry seeks to further boost non-oil exports through simplifying trade procedures, expanding the export rebate program, and maximizing the benefits of Egypt's numerous free trade agreements with regional and global blocs, according to the statement. ■