Minister of Trade and Export Development Presides Over Opening Ceremony of Strategic Planning Workshop for African Center of Excellence for Inclusive Markets
The Minister of Trade and Export Development, Samir Abid, presided over the opening ceremony of the strategic planning workshop for the African Center of Excellence for Inclusive Markets "Aimec" on Tuesday. This is the first official event of the center since its creation in Tunisia.
Participants
The workshop was attended by the President of the National Chamber of Women Entrepreneurs of the Tunisian Union of Industry, Trade, and Handicrafts, the President of the African Business Council, the Regional Director of the German Agency for Technical Cooperation for Tunisia and Libya, and the Secretary-General of the Arab Youth Council. Representatives from international and regional organizations, as well as the private sector, also participated in the workshop. The African Union Commissioner for Economic Affairs joined the workshop remotely.
Economic and Social Challenges
Minister Abid emphasized that the creation of the African Center of Excellence for Inclusive Markets is a major strategic step towards realizing the vision of African leaders. The center will provide a platform for reflection and cooperation to develop innovative policies in favor of inclusive markets and enterprises on the continent.
He added that the center will enable the sharing of successful experiences among all African countries, transforming continental visions into concrete action programs that guarantee common benefits in terms of development and economic integration.
Tunisia's Experience and Support
The Minister noted that Tunisia has significant and pioneering experiences in the field of inclusive markets and institutions, which it is ready to share with other African countries. He also expressed his wish to benefit from the experiences of other states and partners.
Minister Abid assured that the center will receive the necessary support to become an effective instrument in the process of developing economic activity on the continent. He saluted the efforts made in this direction to ensure the excellence and success of the project.
Importance of Inclusive Markets
In the same context, the Minister highlighted the importance of inclusive markets, which offer opportunities to producers, artisans, and young entrepreneurs in the region, particularly women. These markets play a crucial role not only in economic terms but also in social terms, promoting decent employment, reducing social and economic disparities, and integrating all social categories into the economic cycle, contributing to fair and equitable development.
Strategic Location and Human Resources
On the sidelines of the workshop, which ended on Wednesday, Ambassador Youssef Ahmed Al-Kurdfani, Executive Director of Aimec, told La Presse that Tunisia was chosen to host the center after being selected from among other candidates. According to him, this choice is due to the fact that Tunisia already hosts several African cooperation bodies, is a member of the African Union, the Arab Maghreb Union, and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa).
Tunisia has also ratified the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, demonstrating its active commitment to African integration.
Ambassador Al-Kurdfani also emphasized that Tunisia's geostrategic position at the crossroads of Africa, the Mediterranean, and Europe, as well as the quality of its national competencies, strongly supported its candidacy. The choice of Tunisia was natural due to its strategic location and excellent human resources, he concluded.
Formulating a Strategic Vision
Tarek Soudani, Economic Advisor at Aimec, told La Presse that the workshop was organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and Export Development, the German Agency for Technical Cooperation GIZ, and the African Union. The objective is to formulate a strategic vision for the Center for the period 2025-2027.
"We worked to define the center's objectives, particularly those related to regional integration, strengthening and promoting inclusive markets and enterprises on the African continent," he said.
"We started by clarifying the concept of inclusive markets and enterprises, then identified best practices in Africa. Subsequently, we defined three fundamental pillars for the center, namely defining inclusive markets and enterprises in a clear manner, facilitating and promoting best practices in this field, and supporting the replication and expansion of such initiatives, particularly through project and enterprise financing," he added.
Next Steps
The proposals and ideas of the participants will be taken into account in the framework of the strategic vision 2025-2027. "We express our gratitude to the government and people of Tunisia for their support, as well as a special thank you to Mr. Samir Abid, Minister of Trade and Export Development, and to Mr. Mohamed Ali Nafti, Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs," Soudani said.
The workshop was a great success, according to him. "We now have a clear roadmap for the implementation phase. Complementary workshops will follow. Once validated by the Center's Board of Governors and Steering Committee, the strategic vision will be presented publicly, detailing the three pillars mentioned above and the center's objectives."
Conclusion
In conclusion, Soudani indicated that the center aims to empower and strengthen young people, women, and vulnerable groups in Africa, as about 80% of the African economy relies on young people and women. It is essential to provide them with the means to succeed. "We will work together, as a platform linking development banks, the private sector, enterprises, and governments of the 55 member states of the African Union, to support these policies, disseminate best practices, and apply them at the continental level," he said.
