On Wednesday, October 22, 2025, the Minister of Trade and Export Development, Mr. Samir Abid, received Ambassador Dr. Youssef ElKordofani, Executive Director of the African Inclusive Markets Excellence Centre (AIMEC), in the presence of senior officials from the Ministry.

During the meeting, Minister Abid highlighted the importance of AIMEC as a newly established African institution based in Tunisia, serving as a continental platform to foster African economic integration. He emphasized that African countries face numerous challenges at various levels, calling for a shared vision and collaborative thinking around key areas that will shape the future and strengthen both continental and bilateral cooperation.

The Minister reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to supporting AIMEC’s activities and to working jointly to benefit from available expertise and knowledge, while preparing for the Centre’s effective operational launch. He stressed the need to build a constructive analytical approach that would contribute to the desired progress, improve efficiency, and enhance access to African markets.

For his part, Dr. Youssef Youssef ElKordofani commended the Tunisian expertise and competencies, noting that they will have a significant impact on the success of AIMEC’s mission. He also announced that the Centre has begun networking with several partners to launch economic projects in Tunisia, which will host major economic events, conferences, and meetings as the host country of AIMEC.

The discussion also covered the main strategic directions of AIMEC’s work program, which aims to strengthen intra-African trade, promote regional integration and sustainable development projects, and enhance the capacity and role of African youth and women in boosting productivity across the continent.

It is worth recalling that the Agreement establishing Tunisia as the host country of AIMEC’s headquarters was signed on the sidelines of the 41st Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union, held in Lusaka, Zambia, in July 2022. This initiative reflects Tunisia’s commitment to reinforcing its presence within African Union institutions and to benefiting from its membership through strategic cooperation with national structures, particularly in developing research and innovation in inclusive markets.

The official inauguration of AIMEC is scheduled to take place in December 2025, with the implementation of programs and projects expected to begin at the start of the new year.