Tunis: Tunisia's hosting of the COMESA Investment Forum (CIF 2024) contributes to creating an exchange platform between key actors, investors and the private sector and among COMESA member states to disucss the various investment and trade opportunities, Secretary of State to the Minister of Economy and Planning in charge of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) Samir Abdelhafidh said. This was as he addressed attendees at the opening Thursday of the forum held under the theme of "Unleashing Potential: Cross-Border Trade and Investments." The African continent must play a greater role at the regional and global level and contribute to solving the world's crises by strengthening cooperation between governments or with the private sector, he added. President of the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (French: UTICA) Samir Majoul highlighted the promising investment opportunities available in COMESA countries. "We believe that cooperation with COMESA countries can contribute to enha ncing economic growth and diversifying Tunisian exports," he added. This forum is an important opportunity to discuss the investment promotion strategies within the COMESA region. Since signing the agreement with COMESA in 2018, Tunisia undertook to promote cooperation between member states so as to achieve a real economic integration by boosting trade, parternship and investment. Tunisia had hosted numerous events, in partnership with international institutions, on projects to implement the goals of this agreement. With its industrial expertise and qualified human resources, Tunisia calls on its African friends to invest and benefit from its strategic geopolitical position and competitive and comparitive advantages. "Tunisia continues to honour its commitments towards Africa and partners so as to ensure the success of this collaboration," he further said. This froum will help increase opportunties for Tunisian businessmen who have their eyes on Africa and intensify meetings with representatives of Afric an investment promotion agencies," Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA-Tunisia) General Manager Jalel Tebib told TAP on the fringes of this forum. The CIF 2024 is a business-to-business (B2B) and government-to-business (B2G) gathering, bringing together leading policymakers with captains of industry, financiers, major industrialists, and investors from across the COMESA region, focusing on strategic sectors: Agribusiness, Pharmaceutical, Renewable Energy, IT, among others. Over 150 participants are attending this event designed to advance trade and investment across the COMESA region. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse