Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri asserted the importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to Egypt given the fact that it was launched during the country's presidency of the African Union in 2019.

During a meeting with AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Mene here on Wednesday 20/1/2021 as part of his visit to Egypt, Shoukri said Egypt was one of the first countries to sign and sanction the agreement, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed Hafez said in statements.

The foreign minister said he is fully ready to offer all kinds of support to the general secretariat to succeed in carrying out its mission in terms of following up the implementation of the agreement and rendering the remaining negotiations successful, he said.

Mene stressed keenness on maintaining coordination with the Egyptian side as regards ongoing negotiations on the remaining phases of the agreement, he added.

MENA