Inclusive of the Jusoor Program: an important role for the Program in promoting trade and investment cooperation at the regional and continental levels
Books: Fathi Al-Sayeh
Minister of Trade and Industry Nevin Gamea stressed the importance of the Arab-African Trade Bridges Program in promoting the movement of trade exchange and joint investments at the regional and global levels between Egypt and the Arab countries and the countries of the African continent. Referring to the important role of the program in supporting women’s projects in trade, supporting exporters and facing the negative effects of the repercussions of the Corona virus on Arab and African economies. The Arab-African Trade Bridges Program, in the presence of Dr. Hala Al-Saeed, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Majid Al-Qasabi, Saudi Minister of Trade, Mr. Romuald Wadani, Minister of Economy and Finance of the State of Benin, Dr. Benedict Orama, President of the African Export-Import Bank, and Mr. Hani Sonbol, CEO of the International Islamic Finance Corporation Commerce and Dr. Sidi Ould Eltah, Director General of the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa.
The Minister said that this meeting comes within the framework of Egypt’s assumption of the presidency. The Governance Council of the Arab-African Trade Bridges Program for the year 2021, until the next meeting of the Council next November, noting the important role of the program in encouraging and increasing trade and investment flows between African and Arab countries.
Jameh added that the Arab-African Trade Bridges Program played a prominent role in facing the negative effects of the Corona virus pandemic through an emergency plan to support member states, especially African countries, to overcome the negative effects of the pandemic, especially in the health and food sectors. It was launched in partnership with the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa “BADIA”, the African Export-Import Bank, and the African Organization for Standardization.
The Minister noted that the Program for Harmonizing African Standards in Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices will have a significant impact. It aims to strengthen the health sector in the African continent, open up prospects for trade and investment in the medium and long term, in addition to creating new job opportunities.” Balt He cooperated with the concerned Egyptian authorities; Especially the Export Development Authority, where two workshops were held for Egyptian exporters in Cairo Governorate during 2020, and in Damietta Governorate during 2020, and a training course was organized on “Promoting The concept of international trade for entrepreneurs” in cooperation between the program and the “Egyptian Exporters Association – Expolink”, the “National Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development” and the “Foreign Trade Training Center”, in addition to holding a training program for exporters in Cairo Governorate.
The Minister drew attention to the fruitful cooperation within the framework of the “She Trade” project, which contributed to strengthening the capabilities of the Export Development Authority and trade support institutions concerned with empowering small and medium-sized companies owned by women, in addition to increasing the selling capabilities of small and medium-sized companies owned by women.
Gamea affirmed the Egyptian government’s aspiration to expand the benefit of the Arab-African Trade Bridges Program, especially with regard to improving the capabilities of institutions concerned with export development, increasing access to foreign markets, and enhancing the role of Egypt and Arab countries in Global value chains, refine meh Youth and women’s visions and the development of small and medium enterprises in the field of e-commerce, as well as the mechanization and digitization of business operations in the vital sectors of Egypt’s foreign trade, and work to remove obstacles and barriers to accessing Arab and international markets.
It noted The Minister indicated that coordination is currently underway between the ministry and the Egyptian Exporters Association Expo Link to establish the first export academy in Egypt, expressing her hope that the launch of the academy will be announced during the forty-seventh annual meeting of the Islamic Bank’s Board of Governors to be held in Sharm El-Sheikh during the month of June 2022.
Jameh indicated that the Ministry of Trade and Industry is currently preparing a proposal aimed at supporting the capabilities and developing the capabilities of women working in the field of traditional and handicrafts, and increasing their capabilities to export abroad, in order to benefit from The support and financing mechanisms available through the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation and by achieving integration with the initiatives to support and empower women economically, adopted by the Egyptian government, pointing to the important role of the Trade Development Fund of the institution “Sando” s Endowment” in providing sustainable financial resources to support the design and implementation of trade development activities and projects in member states. The Egyptian Exporters Association “Expolink” in cooperation with the Federation of Egyptian Industries and the Foreign Trade Training Center of the Ministry of Trade and Industry within the framework of the partnership agreement signed last year between the Egyptian Exporters Association Expolink and the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation with the aim of enhancing the participation of entrepreneurs in the incubator, under the umbrella of the Arab Trade Bridges Program
On the sidelines of the conference, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the African Export-Import Bank and the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit.
