Eng. Hassan El Khatib, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade, inaugurated the 17th African Trade Ministers’ Meeting in Cairo, with the participation of trade ministers from across the continent, Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), along with senior delegations and representatives of regional and international organizations, Invest-Gate reports.

El Khatib highlighted that intra-African trade remains limited at around 14–15%, compared to 60–70% in Europe, underscoring the vast untapped potential within the continent. He stressed that cooperation and shared responsibility are the only path to turning AfCFTA into a real engine for economic integration, investment, and job creation.

The minister emphasized the need for trade relations based on mutual benefit, pointing to Africa’s wealth of natural resources and human capital. He called for stronger industrialization and localized manufacturing to drive sustainable development. Key challenges, he noted, include weak connectivity, high shipping costs, limited logistics hubs, and inadequate financing.

On priorities ahead, El Khatib said finalizing rules of origin for the automotive and textiles sectors is essential, proposing transitional arrangements to allow gradual implementation. He also stressed the urgency of completing remaining protocols on competition, investment, and intellectual property to ensure effective enforcement of the agreement.

He further underlined the importance of investing in transport, communications, and logistics infrastructure to link African markets, calling for greater private-sector participation and stronger partnerships with regional banks and development institutions.

Concluding his remarks, El Khatib reaffirmed Egypt’s commitment to Africa, describing the continent as “the heart and the future,” and urged member states to turn plans into action to achieve a more integrated and prosperous African common market.