Egypt and Tunisia are exploring the establishment of a joint bank and new trade routes as part of efforts to deepen economic cooperation, Egypt's Investment Minister Hassan El-Khatib said on Wednesday during an official visit to Tunis. Minister El-Khatib met with Tunisian Prime Minister Sara Zaafarani to discuss a wide-ranging agenda aimed at expanding bilateral trade, investment, and connectivity between the two North African nations. Key proposals on the table include the creation of a joint Egyptian-Tunisian bank to ease financial and trade transactions and support investors from both countries. Minister El-Khatib said Egypt is considering assigning major state-owned banks to study the feasibility of opening a branch or representative office in Tunisia to facilitate this goal. The talks also focused on launching a regular maritime shipping line between Egypt and Tunisia to enhance the flow of goods. The idea was previously floated by Egyptian Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly at the joint Egyptian-Tunisian Economic Forum. A land transport route via Libya is also under consideration. To accelerate implementation, the two sides proposed forming a tripartite committee with Libya to study both the maritime and overland routes and explore connections to neighboring countries as part of a broader regional network. The two officials also discussed cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector, including easing the registration of Egyptian drugs in Tunisia and exploring joint ventures in the production of vaccines, serums, and medical supplies. Other areas of agreement included strengthening customs coordination, resolving certificate of origin issues, and progressing on mutual recognition of conformity certificates for non-food industrial goods. Efforts are also underway to simplify visa procedures for businesspeople, including a proposal to activate a white list system that would grant multiple-entry visas to vetted entrepreneurs from both sides. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
