Serigne Guèye Diop, Senegal’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, will travel to Tunisia in late October 2026 to strengthen commercial exchanges and economic partnerships, following discussions held in Dakar.
Strategic Trade Objectives for October
- Bilateral Mission: Minister Serigne Guèye Diop’s scheduled late-October visit aims to strengthen commercial exchanges and economic partnerships between the two countries.
- Institutional Alignment: The Centre de promotion des exportations (CEPEX) and the Agence sénégalaise de promotion des exportations (ASEPEX) are examining the possibility of elaborating a triennial action plan focused on commercial cooperation and information sharing on markets.
- ZLECAf Acceleration: Both administrations are examining ways to accelerate the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, notably regarding rules of origin, market opening, and coordination between national focal points.
Olean-Sector Integration and Institutional Frameworks
The diplomatic push follows the first Tunisian Olive Oil Days held in Dakar from October 7 to 9, 2026. During those sessions, the Senegalese Ministry of Industry and Commerce hosted delegations from Tunis to discuss cooperation. The Office national de l’huile (ONH) and the Société nationale de commercialisation des oléagineux du Sénégal (SONACOS) could partner on quality control, training, and processing techniques for oleaginous products.
Concurrently, the Agence de développement et d’encadrement des petites et moyennes entreprises (ADEPME) engaged with the Centre technique de l’emballage et du conditionnement (PACKTEC). Discussions centered on PACKTEC’s expertise in packaging, conditioning, and eco-packaging, as well as support mechanisms for SMEs.
| Participating Agency (Tunisia) | Counterpart Agency (Senegal) | Primary Sector Focus |
|---|---|---|
| CEPEX | ASEPEX | Export promotion and triennial trade planning |
| ONH | SONACOS | Olive oil processing and quality control |
| PACKTEC | ADEPME | Packaging technology and SME support |
Upcoming Multilateral Engagements in Tunis
As part of the broader diplomatic and commercial roadmap, ASEPEX has received an invitation to participate in the fourth edition of the Tunisia Africa Business Meetings, scheduled for December 9 and 10, 2026, in Tunis, with a delegation of Senegalese companies.
The cooperation operates under the framework of the ZLECAf support project, implemented by German development cooperation (GIZ), on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), in partnership with the Tunisian Ministry of Commerce and Export Development.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
