Tunisian economy seeks support and investors

Tunisia will be hosting an International Investment Conference in Tunis on Nov. 29-30.

According to Fadhel Abdelkefi, Minister of Development, Investment and International Cooperation, “ in presenting to international investors major infrastructure projects, this will provide promising job opportunities to the Tunisian youth.

Six years after its revolution, the unique survivor country of the Arab spring has not managed to get out of the economic gloom, suffering from instability since the fall of dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

With slow economic growth, massive unemployment and a deepening concern on deficits, Tunisia is in a “State of economic emergency”, insists the new unity government that took office late August.

It is in this context that more than 2,000 participants from 40 countries, are expected to attend the international investment conference.

-‘Business climate’.

Major actors and “traditional partners of Tunisia” – World Bank, European Investment Bank, African Bank of development etc. – will also take part.

On the political front, the emir of Qatar Tamim ben Hamad Al-Thani and the French and Algerian prime ministers, Manuel Valls and Abdelmalek Sellal are expected for the family picture.

More than 140 projects worth nearly 30 billion euros, will be showcased.

“The idea is to get out of the conference with Tunisia back on the map of the investment in the Mediterranean”, Fadhel Abdelkéfi, Minister of Investment and International Cooperation explains.

“Tunisia is highly competitive. It has already attracted more than 3,500 (foreign) companies that produce in Tunisia, export, use the logistics (…) a deep and qualified employment pool”, stressed Abdelkéfi.

The security situation is considered to be “stable” after a nightmarish year in 2015 (including three attacks of the Islamic State group that killed 72 people), the government asserts its fierce determination to fight smuggling and corruption.

Already, the European Union has announced a doubling of its financial support in 2017, to EUR 300 million. And, after opening the conference, President Essebsi will travel to Brussels on Wednesday and Thursday for talks with leaders of the EU.