Ahmad 
The United Nations called for accelerating the completion of a land crossing project linking Libya and Tunisia and extending to five other African countries, in order to strengthen trade and economic ties across the continent.
The progress achieved in the Libyan-Tunisian trade corridor was discussed during a meeting between the Tunisian Minister of Trade and Export Development, Kulthum bin Rajab Haram Al-Qazzah, with the Assistant Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, Hanan Morsi.
Morsi stressed the strategic importance of the project in promoting intra-trade and achieving economic and regional integration, noting the economic importance of the Ras Jedir crossing as a main starting point for this corridor.
These discussions come in the wake of an official announcement by Libya and Tunisia in August 2023 about the start of implementation of the continental trade corridor, with the formation of joint working teams to ensure a rapid response to any challenges that arise, and to enhance cooperation in the areas of drug and food security.
Libya and Tunisia hope that this project will contribute to reaching bilateral trade estimated at approximately $1.6 billion, amid challenges related to stability in both countries.
The project starts from the free zone for commercial and logistical activities in Ben Guerdane and the Ras Jedir border crossing and is expected to become the largest land crossing on the continent, linking Tunisia and Libya to the countries of Chad, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Central Africa.
This corridor was officially announced in August 2023, and work is currently underway to develop the infrastructure of the border crossing at Ras Jedir, including roads, customs and logistical facilities.
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