Tunisia, Libya deal to launch trade corridor
Tunisia and Libya have agreed to a trade deal worth USD 1.6bn which will launch a trade corridor, connecting the two countries to sub-saharan Africa, the Tunis Afrique Presse (TAP) reports.
The deal was finalised and the decision made on the evening of Thursday, 10th August at a meeting in Tunis, the Tunisian capital, which was held between the Tunisian Minister of Trade and Export Promotion Kalthoum Ben Rejeb and the Libyan Minister of Economy and Trade Mohammed Al-Haweij.
The purpose of the deal is to establish a partnership between Tunisia, Libya and Africa.
Also discussed by the two countries was the aim to develop the Ras Jedir border crossing, making it the commercial gateway to Africa and a step closer to achieving economic integration, in particular with sub-saharan countries.
An agreement was reached to launch a rapid response team which addresses the problems at the Ras Jedir border crossing, as well as to work towards a reinforcerment of cooperation in food and pharmaceutical security by establishing a work force.
The countries objective is to have their trade reach 5 billion Tunisian dinars, a goal requiring political stability in the two countries.
