Tunisia and Egypt Aim to Boost Trade to $1 Billion in Five Years
The Head of Government, Sara Zaâfrani Zenzeri, announced today, Thursday, during the 18th session of the Tunisian-Egyptian High Joint Committee in Cairo, that she aspires to increase the volume of trade exchanges between Tunisia and Egypt to $1 billion over the next five years. She co-chaired this session with her Egyptian counterpart, Mustafa Kamel Madbouly, in the new administrative capital.
An Ambitious Trade Goal
Ms. Zaâfrani Zenzeri emphasized the importance of accelerating the establishment of a mechanism for the protocol of mutual recognition of conformity certificates. She expressed hope that the next meeting of the joint working group, scheduled for November this year in Tunisia, will be an opportunity to finalize this mechanism.
She noted that the volume of investments between the two countries remains below expectations. Egyptian investments in Tunisia do not exceed $3.45 million, while Tunisian investments in Egypt are around $156 million. These figures are considered modest given the benefits offered by both countries.
The Head of Government recalled that the total trade exchanges did not exceed $450 million in 2024 and amount to only $245 million for the first seven months of the current year. According to her, these figures do not reflect the available opportunities.
To achieve the desired goals, she stressed the need to overcome obstacles and implement a precise action plan, involving all sectors and economic actors from both countries. She called for the implementation of the recommendations of the technical and sectoral committees, particularly those on maritime transport, industry, electricity, agriculture, water resources, environment, higher education, and scientific research.
Increased Role for the Private Sector
Ms. Zaâfrani Zenzeri also highlighted the role of the private sector in strengthening economic cooperation and investment relations. She encouraged the intensification of visits, exchange of experiences, and investments in high-value-added sectors with high employment potential, such as renewable energy, textile industry, pharmaceutical industry, and artificial intelligence.
She estimated that the common membership in the COMESA and ZLECAf economic zones creates opportunities for launching joint projects in Africa in areas such as agriculture, agro-food industry, and textiles.
Common Commitment to the Palestinian Cause
The Head of Government emphasized that there can be no peace in the region without a just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian issue, which would put an end to the occupation. She reiterated Tunisia's unwavering position in favor of the Palestinian people's right to recover their lands and establish their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.
She affirmed that, in line with President Kaïs Saïed's vision, Tunisia believes in the dawn of a new era of humanitarian legitimacy where justice will prevail and rights will be returned to their owners, particularly the Palestinian people. She praised Egypt's role in the Palestinian cause and stressed the importance of implementing the Egyptian plan for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
Egypt's Position
For his part, Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly emphasized the importance of developing joint investments and encouraging businessmen from both countries to establish strategic partnerships in promising sectors. He praised the recent progress of the Tunisian economy and expressed his wish to see Tunisia reach new levels of development, in line with the aspirations of its people.
