Egypt

<p>The Euromed Trade and Investment Facilitation Mechanism project (TIFM) phase II builds on the success of phase I, implemented by ITC between Jan. 2014 and Jun. 2017. &nbsp;</p><p>On 30^th June 2017, ITC launched the Euromed Trade Helpdesk, an online tool and problem-solving network enhancing regional trade transparency. In March 2018, Trade Ministers from the Mediterranean region endorsed the Helpdesk as a pioneering tool for comprehensive regional trade intelligence. During the first 3 years of its existence, the Helpdesk attracted more than 34,000 users who accessed transparent and reliable market information.&nbsp;</p><p>Following positive feedback and requests for more information and engagement, ITC designed TIFM II to include more data, covering investment and trade in services, to deepen the understanding of trade obstacles in the region, and to strengthen the sustainability and ownership of the initiative.</p><p>ITC will implement this new phase in collaboration with public and private sectors in Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia, providing support by fostering regional trade integration, reducing risks within global value chains, and addressing COVID-19 challenges.</p>

<p>The overall MENATEX programme consists &nbsp;of 5 sub-projects. It supports four countries in the Middle East and North African region (MENA region), namely Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia as well as contains a regional component, which is covered under this project. The programme intends to increase the countries&rsquo; export competitiveness in the T&amp;C sector as well as develop linkages among the four countries.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;The regional component, which is covered by this project, will consist of five elements, which will reinforce the activities and envisaged achievements at the country level:</p><p><span>&middot;<span>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</span></span>increase regional trade of T&amp;C products, including for intermediate products to foster the development of a regional supply chain</p><p><span>&middot;<span>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</span></span>support the development of a joint approach to promote North Africa as a sourcing destination.</p><p><span>&middot;<span>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</span></span>Facilitate collaboration, and exchange of experiences and best practices in addressing gender and youth aspects.&nbsp;</p><p><span>&middot;<span>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</span></span>support the joint participation in regional trade fairs.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p>

<p><span data-reactid=".0.3.1.0.$0.$common226cd6d4-6c57-41ef-8cf8-ca8d77621872682.0.1.$IATI_View226cd6d4-6c57-41ef-8cf8-ca8d77621872682.2.3.1.1.1.1.0">This project forms part of the Global Textiles and Clothing (GTEX) Programme of ITC. It is essentially a global component on Knowledge Management and Policy Dialogue, which complements and fosters GTEX country level interventions, as well as facilitate peer learning and networking at a regional and a global scale. It comprises of two outputs. Firstly, the global component will contribute to creating knowledge with a view to influence behaviour at TISI and enterprise level. &nbsp;Secondly, it will ensure strategic linkages with suitable global T&amp;C networks and a peer review mechanism, in the form of T&amp;C Expert Forum, will be established.</span></p>

<p>The overall objective of the proposed project is to attract investment and promote trade and sustainable industrial and business development at continental level, concretely supporting the AfCFTA Secretariat and the African Union and delivering on the Africa-EU partnership for sustainable growth and jobs.&nbsp;</p><p>The project contributes to this objective by</p><ul><li>identifying trade and investment opportunities along regional value chains with potential at continental scale in Africa, including potential for investment by EU economic operators;</li><li>Strengthening the EU-Africa dialogue on trade and economic integration, informing high-level events such as the upcoming AU-EU Summit and European- African Business Forum (EABF)</li><li>identifying pilot/selected continental value chains that could be targeted for support in the EU 2021-27 aid programming exercise.</li></ul><p>It supports the implementation of the AfCFTA and ITC&apos;s One Trade Africa Initiative.</p>