'ABPD 2025' poised to redefine Tunisia-Africa economic ties
Mourad Ben Hassine, the CEO of the Export Promotion Centre (CEPEX), said that ten African countries will be represented by companies, while the remaining two will attend through export support structures or chambers of commerce and industry.
The participating countries are Uganda, Congo Brazzaville, Ghana, Gabon, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mauritania, Senegal, Benin and Côte d'Ivoire.
'So far, 33 African companies from these countries have confirmed their attendance at this event, exceeding the target of 30 companies.'
More than fifty Tunisian companies are expected to participate in the event, Ben Hassine added in a statement to TAP, pointing out that CEPEX is targeting the participation of 100 Tunisian companies.
Operating in sectors such as agri-food, construction and public works, health, ICT, start-ups and services, these companies will hold professional networking meetings via a digital platform set up for this purpose.
Nearly 1,000 business meetings are scheduled to take place over the first two days of the three-day event (23–25 June 2025), following the official opening chaired by the Minister of Trade and Export Development.
Technical workshops are also planned, the themes of which will be determined according to requests from export support structures and chambers of commerce and industry in the participating countries.
'We also intend to sign bilateral agreements or memorandums of understanding on cooperation and information exchange with the bodies responsible for investment and export development, as well as with CEPEX's counterparts in Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, and Burkina Faso.'
Digital exchange platforms
In this respect, Ben Hassine indicated that CEPEX is working on a project to set up digital information exchange platforms, which will provide access to information on products intended for export.
These platforms will facilitate instantaneous product exchange operations. He said that the aim is to respond to calls for tenders from African countries via these platforms.
He also emphasized the possibility of forging investment partnerships in processing industries between Tunisia and other African countries.
'We came up with this project because we noticed that Tunisian companies operating in certain sectors were importing products from other continents when these products are already available on the African market. Moreover, importing under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement reduces costs for Tunisian companies.
This event, which follows the success of the three editions of the 'Tunisia Africa Business Meetings' (2020–2022 and 2024), is specific in that it targets African countries where CEPEX has no commercial representation, such as Uganda, Congo Brazzaville, Gabon, and Burkina Faso.
The primacy of investment
The 1st Africa Business Partnership Days (ABPD 2025) are being organized by the Export Promotion Centre (CEPEX) under the presidency of the Ministry of Trade and Export Development, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad.
The event is supported by the 'Arab Africa Trade Bridges' program,' which is financed by the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), and the 'Qawafel' program, which is financed by the French Development Agency.
The event forms part of CEPEX's ongoing efforts to target the sub-Saharan African market and develop trade with sub-Saharan African countries.
The focus is on Tunisia-Africa partnership and investment cooperation rather than exports, particularly given the solid economic growth indicators on the African continent.
According to the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group's flagship report, 'African Economic Outlook 2025' (AEO 2025), Africa's economic growth is expected to rise from 3.3% in 2024 to 3.9% in 2025, reaching 4% next year, despite rising geopolitical uncertainties and trade tensions.
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