Alexandre Rocha
São Paulo – Tunisia is interested in attracting Brazilian investment, this is so true that the advantages offered by the Arab country to foreign investors was one of the main points of the seminar about Brazil-Tunisia industrial cooperation which took place this morning (26) at the offices of the Federation of Industries of the State of São Paulo (Fiesp). The event officially opened the Second Tunisian Business Cycle that will go on until Wednesday (28) in São Paulo, the most industrialised city in Brazil.
"Tunisia offers significant advantages to foreign investment, such as total tax exemption for this activity for 10 years and guarantees liberty for capital and profit transfer," stated the Tunisian ambassador in Brasília, Hassine Bouzid.
The president of the Tunisian Export Promotion Centre (Cepex), Ferid Tounsi, added that the system is valid for foreign companies interested in implementing offshore plants, for production in the country so as to export to others, including Brazil, as occurs with some European companies established in the country.
Bouzid listed a series of other factors, such as a "liberal and open" economy with "great space for private initiative." "Foreign trade represents around 80% of our gross domestic product," he stated. He also pointed out that the Tunisian economy is competitive, having grown 5% per year between 1999 and 2003, with controlled inflation below 3%.
The diplomat also pointed out that local labour is qualified and the country counts on modern transport and telecommunications infrastructure, as well as having a "strategic position" in Africa, close to Europe and to the Middle East.
He also pointed out that Tunisia may serve as a doorway to Europe for Brazilian businessmen interested in the European, African and Middle Eastern markets and mentioned the free trade agreements his country has with the European Union, and especially with other African countries.
Tounsi added that starting in January 2005 a free trade agreement between the Arab countries will go into operation, and Tunisia will be included.
Bouzid stated that Brazilian businessmen can invest in a series of sectors, such as the electronic products, auto industry, electric equipment, leather and shoes, and furniture, and pharmaceutical products. He also pointed out that around 2,300 foreign companies are already installed in Tunisia, coming from countries like the United States, Japan, South Korea, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium and Holland.
"We hope that Brazil can also be included in this list of investors," he declared.
The ambassador added, however, that industrial partnerships are a two-way project. That means, there is also Tunisian company interest in investing in Brazil, as is the case with Elloumi Group, which is planning to build a factory to produce wire and cables for the auto industry, as informed by ANBA earlier today.
In the evaluation of Paulo Sérgio Atallah, president of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (CCAB), industrial partnerships "make economic sense." "When it starts, progress is fast," he stated. According to him, one of the high points of Tunisia is the "quality of its businessmen."
After the seminar a cooperation accord was signed between the Tunisian Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (Fipa) and Investe Brasil, a similar Brazilian agency. The agreement, according to the president of Investe Brasil, Rudolf Hohn, forecasts the exchange of information between both organizations, the Tunisians are going to supply information about business opportunities and vice-versa.
"This is the correct moment to start the exchange, as Brazil needs to expand its doors of entry to Africa and Europe," stated Hohn.
