Alexandre Rocha, special envoy*
alexandre.rocha@anba.com.br
Sousse – The central region of Tunisia, where the cities of Sousse, Monastir, Mahdia and Kairouan are located, is a hub for attraction of foreign investment. There are 1,462 industries in the region, 700 foreign and 886 exporters. This information was disclosed on Friday (01) by the general director of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Centre (CCIC), Faten Basly, during a business meeting, in Sousse, with the delegation of Brazilian businessmen on a mission to North Africa.
He presented to the Brazilians the investment opportunities that exist in the region and the facilities offered by the Tunisian government for industries interested in establishing themselves there. The textile field is the main one, with 900 industrial units, or 41% of the total of sector companies existing in the country. Among the companies in this sector, 40% are foreign and the main product is jeans. "Production of female clothes is also strong," stated Faten. The Europeans are the main investors.
Among the benefits granted by the government is a financing of 15% to 20% of the total of the project, both for local companies and for international companies, tax exemption for 10 years and payment of just 50% of taxes for the 11th to 20th years in operation. "These facilities make the business more profitable for investors," stated CICC president Néjib Mellouli.
Other important sectors in the region are the mechanical and electronic industry, with 125 factories. According to Faten, there are 15 industrial zones, projects for another four, as well as a commercial port and an international airport.
Apart from that, the region houses 46 higher education institutions with 71,000 students, 268 public and private professional training centres, two technology hubs, a company incubator, an engineering school and a research centre.
"We do not just want trade, but also partnerships, technology transfer, joint ventures and reciprocal investment," stated CCIC vice president Hassen Turki, who is also the foreign relations director of the local branch of the Tunisian Union of the Industry, Trade and Craft (Utica).
The vice president at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Rubens Hannun, stated that there is an imbalance in trade between Brazil and Tunisia. "But we are here not only to sell, but also to make partnerships and solve this question of imbalance," he declared. Last year, Brazilian exports to the Arab country generated US$ 150 million, whereas imports totalled US$ 82 million.
"Brazil is very open to receive products from Tunisia," stated Hannun. "This delegation and others should work for the products traded to have greater added value," added the vice president, who is also leading the delegation organized by the Arab Brazilian Chamber and the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex). Nowadays Brazilian sales are greatly focussed on sugar and the Tunisian sales are focussed on Fertilizers.
Another very important sector in the centre region is the agricultural sector. There are 1.1 million hectares cultivated with 16.8 million olive trees. "Olive oil is very important, we export to the European Union, to countries like Italy and Spain," stated Faten. He added that there are 11 fishing ports, one third of the total in the country, and 11 fish freezing units.
Tourism is another prominent sector. Sousse, for example, is a coastal city that is greatly sought by Europeans. In all, 2.1 million tourists visited the region last year. It counts on 208 hotels and 80,000 beds. Around 35 businessmen in the region participated in the business meetings with the Brazilian delegation.
Hospital
After the meeting, Hannun and the representative of the Association of the Manufacturers of Medical and Dental Products (Abimo), Maurício Manfré, accompanied by an ANBA news reporter, had a meeting with the general director of the Sahlou Hospital of Sousse, Mohamed Hedi Amamou. Hannun and Amamou discussed the progress of the cooperation agreement signed in 2005 between the Tunisian hospital and the Syrian-Lebanese Hospital, in São Paulo (SE Brazil). They discussed the possibility of a delegation from the Brazilian hospital visiting Tunisia.
Manfré, in turn, presented the Abimo and said that 150 companies in the medical equipment and dentistry sector participate in the organizations export program. He delivered catalogues with the products and the company contacts. "We hope that our exchange is not scientific, but also commercial," stated Amamou.
He pointed out, however, that the facility for obtaining credit and the supply of post-sale services are essential for Tunisian importers.
*Translated by Mark Ament
