Global Arab Network | Tunisia & Egypt boosting bilateral cooperation, enhancing Euro-Mediterranean partnership

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Tunisia & Egypt boosting bilateral cooperation, enhancing Euro-Mediterranean partnership

Monday, 07 June 2010 21:48

The 14th Tunisian-Egyptian High Joint Commission met on Monday afternoon, in Cairo, under co-chairmanship of Tunisia Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi and his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Nadhif, with attendance of the two countries' delegations.

On the occasion, Mr. Mohamed Ghannouchi emphasised the importance of the meeting which represents a renewed opportunity to consecrate the consultation tradition, review progress of the excellent relations binding the two sisterly countries, assess bilateral co-operation and identify the best means to hoist co-operation to the level of political will driving President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali and his Brother, President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak.

He pointed out that the close ties binding Tunisia and Egypt, their common denominators, their similar development orientations and the nature of stakes and challenges they are facing, are so many factors propitious for devising an appropriate platform to forge ahead on the path of consolidating rapprochement and complementarity ties between the two countries.

The prime minister reasserted the two sides' will to materialise the recommendations and programmes issued by the last High Joint Commission held in Tunis, with a view to boosting bilateral co-operation, in conformity with an approach with clear guidelines and objectives, the ultimate goal being to lay down the foundations of a lasting and efficient partnership which would mobilise all available energies and potentialities, in the service of the two countries' mutual interests.
Easing of mutual recognition of conformity certificates, harmonising standards ruling exchanged goods and bolstering co-operation and co-ordination

The accelerated pace of changes witnessed by the regional and international scene, he went on saying, have amplified the world financial and economic crisis, which commands more than ever before that an all-out joint action be carried out to smooth away the hardships and show capacity to take up the posed challenges.

He stressed, in this regard, the pressing need to overcome the obstacles which could impede development of trade exchanges and to reinforce joint investments, citing in this connection the easing of mutual recognition of conformity certificates, harmonising standards ruling exchanged goods and bolstering co-operation and co-ordination between the two countries' exports promotion centres.

He also raised the need to set up a joint structure tasked with executing mutual agreements and submitting practical solutions to iron out likely difficulties under the best terms.
Increase volume of commercial exchanges so as to reach 600 million dollars annually

The Prime Minister stressed the important role assigned to the private sector in boosting this approach and in the optimum implementation of the conventions concluded between the two countries, by means of multiplying contacts and meetings between the two countries' businessmen, the exchange of information and expertise, active participation in economic and trade fairs and events, and exploration of opportunities for launching joint ventures.

In this connection, Mr. Mohamed Ghannouchi laid emphasis on the need to redouble efforts to increase the volume of commercial exchanges so as to reach the fixed target, i.e., the 600 million dollars annually.

Achieving this goal requires, he said, to point up several promising and high added-value sectors, such as industry of medicaments, information and communication technologies (ICTs), renewable energies and services, concurrently with the development of co-operation and exchange of expertise in other sectors, like health, agriculture, food industries and textile.

The Prime Minister said that co-operation in the human resources area is part of the priorities that require optimum use of all available means to develop this field, given, he specified, the key importance granted to the human element in the two countries, insofar as the individual remains the means and finality of any development work.

In this connection, he voiced hope that the legal documents submitted to the Fourteenth High Joint Committee's examination will pave the ground for a new start of co- operation between the two sisterly countries in the different strategic sectors and will thus bolster complementarity and interdependence of interests.

Tunisia's constant support to the brotherly Palestinian people

Moreover, the Prime Minister expressed satisfaction at the two countries' common will to energise and strengthen Arab joint action in all fields, notably, the economic and social areas, which would, he said, serve the Arab peoples' interests, meet their aspirations for more progress and development, and back up their vital causes, at the forefront of which the Palestinian just cause.

In this connection, Mr. Ghannouchi highlighted Tunisia's constant support to the brotherly Palestinian people in their fight for the recovery of their national legitimate rights and building up of their independent state, as part of a comprehensive, just and sustainable settlement of the conflict in the Middle East, on the basis of the resolutions of international legality and the Arab peace initiative.

He reiterated Tunisia's firm condemnation of the Israeli attack in the international waters on the Gaza-bound humanitarian flotilla, describing the aggression a flagrant violation of all international and humanitarian charters and conventions.

The Prime Minister also called for lifting the unjust blockade imposed on the Palestinian people and putting an end to all forms of collective punishment.

Mr. Mohamed Ghannouchi also called the international community, notably the influential powers to shoulder the responsibility falling on them to compel Israel stop its provocative practices and honour its commitments, re-vitalise the peace process and put a halt to the tension which prevails in the region.

Enhance Euro-Mediterranean partnership

He also voiced hope that the Iraqi people will manage to complete their political process as part of consensus and concord, preserving thus territorial unity and integrity of sisterly Iraq.

The Prime minister asserted that Tunisia's and Egypt's attachment to enhance the Euro-Mediterranean partnership for the sake of achieving joint development and guaranteeing security and stability in the world, is the best guarantor to further co-ordinate stands and approaches to energise the "Union For the Mediterranean" (UFM) and complete the edification of its institutions, the aim being to serve joint and mutually profitable interests of the region's peoples.

He added that Tunisia and Egypt's adherence to the Agadir Convention implies that they strive together to materialise contents and objectives of that Convention and to highlight it in such a way as to make the most of the advantages it offers.

For his part, Mr. Ahmed Nadhif asserted keenness to see to the Tunisian-Egyptian High Joint Commission's holding its meeting on a regular basis to boost the excellent Tunisian- Egyptian relations, in the service of the two countries' mutual interests.

In this regard, he stressed the importance of carrying on consultation and co-ordination between the Arab countries, in light of the challenges which are now confronting them, and the incessant threats of the Israeli government which rejects any opportunity to achieve a comprehensive and just peace in the region.

He went on saying that it is impossible to maintain silence in the face of Israel's intransigence, notably with regard to its depriving the Palestinian people of their legitimate right to build their independent state, underlining his country's attachment to exert greater efforts with the different concerned sides to start a new peace process that would lead to the edification of an independent Palestinian state.

Egypt's Premier commended Tunisia's pertinent approaches and stands on developments of the situation in the Arab region and on the international scene, highlighting the constructive and rational treatment Egypt and Tunisia reserve to dealing with the different international and crucial issues. Besides, he underlined the important contribution of the High Joint Commission in vitalising bilateral relations and boosting co-operation in the strategic fields and in the productive sectors, which are likely to stimulate the two countries' development efforts, notably, he said, in the oil gas industries, and more particularly in prospecting and drilling, security and training, in addition to launching joint investment projects in the fields of the ready-to-wear, car, food, electrical and electronic industries.

Besides, Mr. Ahmed Nadhif pointed out that, despite the repercussions of the international financial crisis, the volume of trade exchanges between the two countries recorded, during the first term of the current year, a remarkable progress compared with the same period of last year.

In this connection he praised the active co-operation between Tunisia and Egypt, in the cultural field, which allowed to strengthen the fraternity ties and reinforce communion between the two countries' peoples.

The Egyptian Premier concluded pointing out that the session would undoubtedly help achieve positive results, notably in increasing the volume of trade exchanges which are expected to reach 600 million dollars and would ensure the needed transportation means to serve this end.

The session, he added, would allow to strengthen businessmen's role in developing trade and investment and enhancing participation in economic events held in both countries, in addition to modernising the legal framework regulating the co-operation relations binding Egypt and Tunisia. Earlier, Mr. Mohamed Ghannouchi had had a talk with Egypt's Prime Minister Ahmed Nadhif which turned on the agenda of the 14th Tunisian-Egyptian High Joint Commission's works.

The talk had also focused on the regional and international issues of mutual interest.(TAP)

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