Tunis, December 01, 2022, SPA -- Partnership meetings between businessmen and representatives of companies and exporters from Arab and African countries in pharmaceutical industries and medical supplies commenced here today, under the auspices of the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group. In his opening speech of bilateral partnership, ITFC CEO Eng. Hani Salem Sonbol stressed that the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the importance of regional trade cooperation and integration in supporting countries' resilience to emergency crises, especially with regard to essential products such as medicines and medical supplies. According to Sonbol, programmed partnership meetings are a practical example of events aimed at building trade partnerships between exporters and suppliers in Arab and African countries, noting that the Arab-Africa Trade Bridges Program supported health plants in 13 African countries through a joint project with the Pasteur Institute in Senegal, in addition to approving a $105 million funding package in the health sector in Arab and African countries, where these funds have helped support member states during the COVID-19 pandemic. For his part, Tunisian Minister of Economy and Planning Samir Saied said that partnership meetings would result intangible outcomes and explore new opportunities for cooperation and investment in pharmaceutical industries and medical supplies sector. Saied said that the African pharmaceutical industry is not currently in a position to produce medicines or vaccines locally, where the health crisis represents a real opportunity to give this issue all the attention, pointing out that the African continent imports about 70% of medicines and almost all vaccines. AATB aims to boost trade relations between the African continent and the Arab world by providing packages of financing and insurance lines and technical assistance aimed at increasing trade exchange. --SPA 21:24 LOCAL TIME 18:24 GMT 0035 www.spa.gov.sa/w1820987