Tunisia exported over 18% of its domestically-produced medicines, with revenues worth TND 332.8 million in 2022, said Managing Director of the Tunisian Export Promotion Centre (CEPEX) Mourad Ben Hassine. Medicines accounted for 85.3% of the total value of exports, estimated at TND 284 million in 2022. The trade coverage rate for the pharmaceutical industries sector had reached 19.1% in 2022, compared with 16.4% in 2021, he pointed out at the 7th sector-based meeting aimed at boosting exports in the pharmaceutical industries, held on July 14 at the Maison de l'Exportateur. "Tunisian pharmaceutical industry products are exported to 42 destinations, including 21 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and 46% to France and Libya." At the meeting, participants called for the need to devise a national strategy and action plan to develop the pharmaceutical industry sector. They also recommended setting up a mechanism to facilitate Tunisian pharmaceutical exports, revising reference prices for medicines and granting export licences. They also proposed reducing imports in this sector, in order to promote domestic industry, opening CEPEX trade offices in sub-Saharan Africa and scheduling economic missions to countries in this region.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse