Tunisia hopes for trade growth with Egypt, Tunisian Minister of Investment, Development, and International Cooperation Mohammed Fadel Abdel Kafi told Ahram Online at Tunisia's 2020 investment conference. Abdel Kafi said in exclusive statements to Ahram Online that the size of economic cooperation was still tenuous, adding that he met Egypt's minister of international cooperation, Sahar Nasr, in November to discuss economic cooperation between the two countries. In November, Nasr and her Tunisian counterpart discussed means to enhance cooperation between the two sides in the upcoming period, especially in the international, regional and Arab financial institutions, to obtain optimum benefit from both countries' development partners. Nasr put emphasis on increasing cooperation between the ministries in economic development projects in Egypt and Tunisia. On Egyptian investors participation in the Tunisian conference, Abdel Kafi said that several Egyptian investors attended the conference, yet considered Egyptian participation overall as “weak.” The minister, however, did not rule out reaching agreements of cooperation in the tourism field. “Everything is possible,” he said. On Wednesday, the two-day Tunis investment conference was concluded following promises of billions of dollars, funds for developmental projects, and tens of memorandums signed on Tunisia's economic recovery. Abdel Kafi said that Tunis was able to accomplish more than it expected, adding that the country was on the right path economically. According to official sources, the conference was able to attract $32 billion in foreign investment, yet the numbers remained contradictory ahead of the closure of the conference. Tunisian State TV reported Tuesday that foreign investment commitments exceeded $10 billion, whereas Al-Shorouk newspaper, one of the most circulated newspapers in Tunisia, said Wednesday that Tunisia was able to attract $15 billion. Sources in the ministry had reservations on responding to Ahram Online's questions on the total worth of promised investments, saying that things would be clear after the conference was concluded.
