Minister of Trade and Industry Ahmed Samir highlighted the importance of accelerating the implementation and activation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as it is an essential axis of increasing intra-African trade rates. The minister explained that he discussed with Kenyan Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Rebecca Miano, some of the exceptional restrictions that Kenya recently imposed on its imports from abroad, which affected Egyptian exports. The Minister also met with Wamkele Mene, the first Secretary General of the AfCFTA, and Ambassador Albert M. Muchanga the commissioner for Trade and Industry of the African Union Commission with Pamela Coke-Hamilton executive director of the International Trade Center. During his meeting with Jean Chrysostome, Rwandan Minister of Trade and Industry, Samir pointed out the necessity of accelerating the implementation of the AfCFTA and its full entry into force. The Egyptian minister welcomed the study of opportunities to import distinguished Ivorian products, especially since the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture has recently approved Côte d’Ivoire as one of the approved sources for importing cotton.
