Foreign investment in Tunisia, booming

Foreign investments in Tunisia has witnessed a qualitative turning point in recent years as a result of structural reforms policy adopted by the Tunisian President Zein al-Abidin Bin Ali since the change took place in the country on November 7, 1987, as for the first time foreign investments exceeded USD one billion, with a volume of 1100 million Tunisian dinars, representing an increase of 125%.

The sector of factory industries occupied the first grade of foreign investors interest as foreign investments in this sector developed to 673 million dinars, representing an increase of 240%, while it improved in the sector of services at a rate of 75%.

The foreign investments which resulted in the founding of 181 establishments of foreign contributions, enabled the provision of 753, 14 job opportunities.

Worthy mentioning that the number of establishments in which foreign sides contribute, working in Tunisia exceeds 2100. Since 1993 this number increased at an average of 180 establishments per year. These establishments helped the creation of 145,000 job opportunities within the first four years of the 9th plan, from 1997- 2000, besides their contribution to technology transfer through introducing new technologies.

As for foreign investment sources, Tunisia's first partner are the countries of the European Union member states especially France, Italy, Germany, representing 85% of total establishments of foreign contributions working in Tunisia, while the American presence is still 41 establishments (a rate of 2%) and the Asian presence of 16 establishments (a rate of 0.75% ).

In search of foreign investment sources, Tunisia is making a campaign of initiatives towards its partners outside the European Union. In this framework falls "Cartage Forum " which has become regular as from June 1999 and was concentrated on the Tunisian- American partnership and the Tunisian- Asian partnership. Tunisia also worked in the same direction in 2001.