Tunisia has completed more than 400 commercial transactions, including exports and imports, under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement, according to Minister of Trade and Export Development, Samir Abid. This milestone was achieved over two years after the agreement came into effect. Abid highlighted that Tunisia issued its first certificate of origin under the agreement in May 2023, after fulfilling the required conditions and procedures.
Minister Abid emphasized Tunisia's commitment to expanding the use of AfCFTA mechanisms and converting them into greater trade and economic movement. He stressed the crucial role of the private sector as the primary beneficiary of the agreement and a key partner in its construction and implementation. Abid also mentioned that Tunisia aims to use the agreement's mechanisms with several member states that have not yet ratified the agreement, in an effort to encourage their participation and accelerate implementation.
The Minister highlighted the importance of involving private sector representatives in the National Committee for Monitoring Negotiations and Implementing the Continental Agreement, as well as consulting with them on various files, including rules of origin. He also emphasized the need to listen regularly to institutions that have started exporting or importing under the agreement, to identify challenges and propose solutions to improve access to African markets.
A four-day program, "Support Program for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Regional Batch for North Africa," was launched to familiarize participants with the requirements of the AfCFTA agreement and the opportunities and advantages it offers to economic operators. The program brings together representatives of the private sector, small and medium-sized enterprises, and export support structures from Tunisia and several neighboring and friendly countries in North Africa.
Minister Abid stated that Tunisia's relations with Africa represent a "constant strategic choice" in its economic and trade policy, as they offer not only a promising market for Tunisian institutions but also a space for partnership, investment, and joint production and integration into value chains. He emphasized that Tunisia aims to make the country a platform for economic and trade communication between African institutions and contribute to building a more connected and dynamic African market.
The Minister announced that Tunisia will continue to support initiatives that bring together the African private sector and provide it with spaces for networking and establishing partnerships, such as the fourth Tunisian-African Business Meetings scheduled for December 9-10, 2026, and the first "Africa First Expo" to be held in Tunisia from November 5-7, 2026, under the slogan "Consume African."
The "Support Program for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Regional Batch for North Africa" will run from October 6-9, 2026, in Tunis, organized by the General Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Key points
- Tunisia has completed over 400 commercial transactions under the AfCFTA agreement.
- The country aims to expand the use of AfCFTA mechanisms and increase trade and economic cooperation within the African continent.
- Tunisia will continue to support initiatives that bring together the African private sector and provide it with spaces for networking and establishing partnerships.
