On the picture His Excellency Karim Ben Becher, Ambassador of Tunisia to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Tunisia Investment Seminar, a joint initiative by NCH, VNO, NCW, FIPA and several other institutions took place at the Malitoren, The Hague on Friday April 24, 2015. Dutch- Tunisian entrepreneurs, as well as some Ambassadors attended the seminar.
The welcome address was delivered by Mr. Niek Jan van Kesteren, Diretor general of VNO-NCW(host), Mr. Salim Rabbani, chairman MENA Business Council of NCH (moderator), H.E. Mr. Karim Ben Becher Ambassador of Tunisia, Mr. Tjerk Opmeer, deputy director DIO, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
For a photo album on this important event featuring foreign investment in Tunisia, please open the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/121611753@N07/sets/72157652191492236/
Madame Amel Azzouz, Secretary of State for Investment and International Cooperation, delivered an animated and convincing keynote address.
This is the second VNO NCW – Tunisia Seminar since 2012. Several developments have taken place since then. The Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade, Liliane Ploumen has visited Tunisia, that country is the pioneer of the Arab spring. An increase in investments is needed. Tunisian Trade Promotion Office Rotterdam is instrumental in facilitating investment. Entities such as FIPA and UTICA also have an important role to play in the process of facilitating investment.
In his address Mr. Tjerk Opmeer, Deputy Director International Enterprise Department, MFA. encouraged participants to interact. Opmeer mentioned that the relationship between the Netherlands and Tunisia is a longstanding one, it dates back to 1610 when a Dutch delegation visited Tunisia.
State Secretary Azzouz has recently attended a conference in Venice on “Exceptional Tunisia” Yes, Tunisia is exceptional says Azzouz since army, civil society and political elite dialogue and this has lead to a compromise. 70% of MP supports the stable government. Tunisia has an inflation rate of 4.5% and an unemployment rate of 15.5% of which 32% are young academics.
Tunisia has many assets of which a skilled and unskilled workforce and a healthy living and working environment are examples. Investment might be a solution to Tunisia’s challenges. A new code for investment is expected to be published mid May 2015 as well as the restructuring of public banks. Furthermore, in June 2015, FIPA will organize the Carthage Forum of Investment, which will hopefully attract investors.
According to the FIPA representative, Tunisia is a gateway to the Africa. Mr. Yacine Labib, lawyer. is waiting for the new investment code to be implemented. According to Labib, it takes only 72 hours to get a new business registered in Tunisia. Intervention by a lawyer is not mandatory but recommendable. Security? Investment might bring about security which in turn will hopefully keep the youngsters away from ISIS and alike.
At the end of the successful seminar, an expert panel consisting of representatives of: UTICA, CTNCI A and Hilfresh answered questions, this was followed by a Tunisian networking lunch.
