Tunisia has so far issued 22 certificates of origin under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement for exports of chemical and agri-food products to Cameroon and Tanzania, said Deputy-Director at the Directorate for Cooperation with African Countries and Organisations in the Trade and Export Development Ministry Fakhri Bouzayen. Speaking at the 8th export morning held on Friday at the CEPEX seat, under the theme: "AfCFTA and COMESA agreements: State of Play and New Prospects for Tunisian Exports," Bouzayen added that the certificate of origin, which is considered a key component for the effective entry into force of the agreement, will help exporting companies make the most of the reductions in customs duties which are due to be withdrawn from January 1, 2026. The rules of origin currently cover 87.7% of tariff lines, he indicated, adding that the sectors not fully covered by these rules are textiles and clothing, motor vehicles, tractors, bicycles and other land vehicles, their spare par ts and accessories. Tunisia, which had joined the Guided Trade Initiative (GTI) launched on October 7, 2022 by the AfCFTA Secretariat, is one of the first 8 African countries (Egypt, Ghana, Cameroon, Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania and Mauritius) which are preparing to launch the AfCFTA under this initiative. Taking the floor, Head of the Customs and Capacity Building Division at the AfCFTA Secretariat Chawki Jaballi affirmed that the implementation of the AfCFTA agreement will be complex, given the large number of member countries and their various stages of economic development. There is need to fill the gaps in trade information and to work with the private sector so as to ensure the success of the AfCFTA, he pointed out. Jaballi further indicated that the effective implementation of the AfCFTA will require, in addition to financing, the facilitation of investment in trade-enhancing infrastructure in order to remove supply-side constraints and ensure that the benefits of market access are fully achieved. Jaba lli outlined on the occasion, a set of operational tools for the AfCFTA, such as the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), the AfCFTA Rules of Origin Manual and the Mechanism for Reporting, Monitoring and Eliminating Non-Tariff Barriers. The AfCFTA aims to eliminate trade barriers and stimulate intra-African trade, to boost trade in value-added production in all service sectors of the African economy and to promote industrialisation, job creation and investment in a bid to step up Africa's competitiveness in the medium and long term. For his part, CEPEX CEO Mourad Ben Hassine pointed out that the untapped potential in Africa is estimated at about US$1.2 billion. Untapped export opportunities account for about 61% in North Africa (US$754 million), 22% in West Africa (about US$270 million) and 8% in East Africa (US$94 million). "The African continent currently offers many opportunities, especially as Sub-Saharan Africa's share of Tunisian exports at the end of October 2023 will account for only 2.6%," he added.