Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi met on Wednesday with Tunisian Prime Minister Sarah Zafrani to discuss strengthening the "excellent" bilateral relations between the two countries, ahead of the 18th session of the Egypt-Tunisia Joint Higher Committee. The meeting at the Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo was also attended by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and delegations from both countries. Al-Sisi conveyed his greetings to his Tunisian counterpart, President Kais Saied, and praised his efforts in leading reform, enhancing economic growth, and achieving sustainable development in Tunisia, a statement from the Egyptian presidency said. The leaders affirmed the importance of continuing to develop joint cooperation, particularly with the convening of the joint higher committee in Cairo, which serves as a "strategic platform for deepening cooperation and exploring new avenues for integration, especially in the commercial and investment sectors." The two prime ministers are scheduled to co-chair the committee's meetings on Thursday in the New Administrative Capital, after which several cooperation documents in priority areas are expected to be signed. They will also open the Egypt-Tunisia Business Council to review opportunities for private sector investment in both countries. The leaders also exchanged views on regional and international issues and agreed on the importance of encouraging their respective private sectors to implement joint development projects in Africa. Zafrani expressed President Saied's desire to receive Sisi on an official visit to Tunisia, while Sisi renewed his invitation for the Tunisian president to attend the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, scheduled for November 2025. Preparatory expert-level meetings for the joint committee began on Tuesday in Cairo. They are being led by Egypt's Ministry of Planning and Tunisia's Ministry of Commerce and Export Development, with the participation of representatives from 28 national entities from both sides. Ministerial preparatory meetings were scheduled for Wednesday, co-chaired by Egyptian Planning Minister Rania Al-Mashat and Tunisian Commerce Minister Samir Obeid. Al-Mashat said the committee would discuss mechanisms to double the trade volume between the two countries and ways to boost relations in various industries, as well as cooperation in oil, electricity, aviation, agriculture, and tourism. The Egypt-Tunisia Joint Higher Committee, one of the oldest Arab joint committees, last held its 17th session in Tunis in May 2022.
