A high-level Egyptian delegation participated in the 57th session of the Economic Commission for Africa will consist of the preparatory meeting of the Committee of Experts of the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, which concluded on Thursday in Addis Ababa. The conference was held under the theme Advancing the implementation of the Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area: proposing transformative strategic actions, as per an official statement on Thursday. The high-level Egyptian delegation, including representatives from the Ministries of Investment and Foreign Trade, Finance, and the CBE, as well as the Permanent Mission of Egypt to Addis Ababa, participated in the two-day ministerial meetings. Minister Plenipotentiary for Trade Fadel Yacoub represented the Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade. Before the ministerial meetings, preparatory meetings were held with senior African officials. The Egyptian delegation stressed the need to proceed with implementing the agreement. They highlighted that Egypt has issued the majority of certificates of origin under the agreement, showing a transition from legal compliance to actual implementation of the agreement. The delegation also stressed the importance of developing intra-African trade, which still suffers from structural challenges, by strengthening African supply chains and manufacturing, the statement added. Furthermore, the delegation highlights the crucial role of the multilateral trading system in safeguarding the interests of developing countries, especially in Africa, during the current trade tensions among major powers. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English Subediting: M. S. Salama
