Amr Moussa to upgrade cooperation with COMESA countries

Egyptian Foreign Minister Amr Moussa is to start at the end of October a tour of South and East African countries that belong to COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa), chairing a delegation of businessmen to activate cooperation between Egypt and African states.

Moussa's assistant for African affairs, Ibrahim Hassan, said Egypt is due to host the economic regional conference for COMESA on February 1, 2000.

The regional economic conference of the COMESA, Ibrahim Hassan added, will be attended by representatives of the African private sector and economic corporations, saying that Egypt is due also to take part in the extraordinary summit in the coming year to announce the establishment of a free trade zone in the COMESA countries.

Ibrahim emphasized that Egypt joined the COMESA bank for trade and development during June. The bank's capital amounts to $540 million, financing operations to guarantee exports between African countries to increase the volume of the medium-sized commerce.

Meanwhile, a direct navigation line will be activated on August 1, linking Egypt and several COMESA countries, adding that the line will be linked to a number of other COMESA harbors soon.