Arab-Belgian trade exchanges up

BRUSSELS, June 1 (KUNA) -- Belgian imports from the Arab world increased by 41.2 percent in 2010 compared to 2009, amounting to 7.1 billion euro in 2010 against to 5 billion euro the previous year.
The Belgian exports to Arab countries improved by 12.4 percent, and their value increased from 6.6 billion euro in 2009 to 7.4 billion in 2010 euro.
The trade balance achieved a surplus of 346.5 million euro in favor of Belgium during the year 2010.
These figures were released by the Brussels-based Arab -Belgium-Luxemburg Chamber of Commerce in its newsletter today.
In 2010, Belgian imports from its key partners in the Arab countries increased substantially, Algeria (+64.4 percent), the United Arab Emirates (+64.75 percent) and Saudi Arabia (+59.5 percent), while imports fell from Tunisia (-38.3 percent) and Libya (-13.6 percent).
The Belgian exports increased significantly to the United Arab Emirates (+15.1 percent), Algeria (+13.70 percent) and Saudi Arabia (+10 percent), but decreased to countries like Qatar (-35.8 percent), the Sultanate of Oman (- 22.
3 percent) and Iraq (-19.5 percent).
Belgian exports to the Arab countries in 2010 consisted mainly of machinery and equipment, accounting for 23.1 percent of the total exports of Belgium to the Arab world.
The chemical industry products accounted for 19.7 percent of exports followed by precious stones and metals, which represent 11.5 percent of the total and recorded an increase of 44.4 percent compared to 2009.
Imports from the Arab world consisted mainly of metal products, which accounted for 47.5 percent of Belgian imports from the Arab world and recorded an increase of 53.56 percent compared to 2009, followed by precious stones and precious metals, accounting for 19.8 percent of Belgian imports and an increase of 68.2 percent compared to 2009, and chemical products made up 10.1 perc ent of the total and an increase of 124.33 percent compared to 2009.
Belgian exports to Kuwait increased to 181 million euro in 2010 from 146 mn euro the previous year.
Belgian imports from Kuwait rose to 102 mn euro in 2010 from 89 mn euro in 2009. (end) nk.asa KUNA 011338 Jun 11NNNN