TEHRAN - The Ministry of Labor, Cooperatives, and Social Welfare has announced its readiness to expand economic relations with African countries.

“The great potential of African countries is an opportunity for Iran to expand its trade with these nations,” Hamed Forouzan, a ministerial official, said on Saturday at a forum held for discussing the first Iran-Burundi Joint Economic Committee meeting, Dolat.ir, the government's official portal, reported.

Speaking at the gathering, Forouzan pointed to the approach adopted by his ministry to develop and boost cooperation with African states and added that seven cooperation documents were inked between Iran and Burundi after the visit of the president of Burundi to Iran.

These cooperation documents were inked in various areas including visa issuance, agricultural, mutual support of investment opportunities between the two governments, trade, healthcare, and medical treatment as well as technical - vocational training services, he emphasized.

A significant part of Burundi's revenues comes from the agricultural sector, he said; adding that the extraction of diamonds in the country is one of the most important subjects that lay the ground for Iran's further cooperation with this African country in the field of processing diamond.

Petrochemical products, foodstuff and edibles, medical equipment, road construction machinery and construction industries are the main products needed to be imported to this African state so that the Islamic Republic of Iran enjoys high capability and potential to provide Burundi with all the mentioned products, the official said.

"Given Iran’s experience with African countries, more effective steps must be taken in order to expand trade relations with these countries in relevant fields," he added.

EF/MG

Photo: The Ministry of Labor, Cooperatives and Social Welfare's Director-General for International Affairs, Hamed Forouzan (2nd R).