Egypt is keen on widening the fields of mutual cooperation and opening new horizons for trade and investments with all African states, Trade and Industry Minister Tarek Qabil said.

The statements came at the minister's meeting with visiting Secretary General of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Sindiso Ngwenya, according to a statement by the Ministry.

The meeting was also attended by head of the Egyptian trade representation authority Ali Leithi and head of the African department at the ministry's trade agreements' sector Sherif Fahmi.

Egypt is also keen on opening new markets for Egyptian products in African countries, especially that the African continent owns many investment and export opportunities, the minister said.

The meeting addressed the importance of the second phase of negotiations on a free trade zone grouping COMESA, Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC), expected to be launched by the end of this month in South Africa and Rwanda to finalize all pending technical issues, the statement read.

The minister lauded the level of coordination and cooperation maintained between the Egyptian authorities concerned and COMESA secretariat in solving the problems that faced Egyptian exports to Kenya, it added.

Source: MENA