Habib Essid assures logistics services will be improved in Tunisia.
During a meeting held on April 20th, 2016, executives from some Italian companies based in Tunisia, asked the Head of the Tunisian Government, Habib Essid, to improve logistics services and further develop the port of Radès with the end goal of increasing investments in the country. They especially complained about the slowness of administrative procedures and customs operations, as well as about problems connected with social security and the transfer of profits in foreign currencies.
Some Italian entrepreneurs underlined that Tunisia is going through a very difficult time, and that its economic recovery can only be possible through a huge increase in investments. In addition, Italian investors are not very happy with the current investment scenario in Tunisia. The Italian Ambassador in Tunisia, Raimondo De Cardona, confirmed that the Tunisian economic situation is rather complex, also specifying that his country is willing to contribute to the re-launch of the Tunisian economy and to support Tunisia in its effort to face the challenges connected with social security. Encouraging investments is the best way to support economic growth – said De Cardona- while confirming his commitment to persuade Italian entrepreneurs to continue investing in Tunisia. Prime Minister Essid, has committed himself to improving logistics services, as a means to increase investments.
The Tunisian government has been working in order to improve administrative services, thanks to the simplification of bureaucratic procedures, as well as the enactment of laws aimed at attracting foreign investors. Of course, there are still some weak points in the field of administration and customs – continued Essid- but the government is about to implement new reforms, including the adoption of the Code of Customs.
The Minister for Development, Investment and International Cooperation, Yassine Brahim, affirmed that the five-year development plan (2016-2020) shows how Tunisia will also focus its efforts on the textile industry, as well as on the development of logistics services and the optimization of Tunisia’s position in various competitive sectors. The government will call a series of consultation meetings aimed at gathering all the proposals coming from foreign investors in Tunisia, and at finding out solutions to all the problems they have been facing. Tunisia now boasts more than 800 Italian companies with over 60 thousand direct jobs, according to data published by the Tunisian-Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which organized this event.
