26th April, 2017

The Arab British Chamber of Commerce was pleased to organise a business briefing on investment and tourism in Tunisia on the afternoon of 26 April 2017.  The discussion was opened by Rt Hon Baroness Symons, ABCC Chairman and chaired by Dr Afnan Al-Shuaiby, ABCC Secretary General & CEO. Keynote speaker, Mr Mohsen Marzouk, the Secretary General and Founder of Movement Machrou Touness (the Project for Tunisia), one of the country’s leading political parties, was in London to meet with UK government ministers and business leaders. Mr Marzouk served as Minister Advisor to the president; Secretary General of Nida Touness; and as Campaign Director of the Nida Touness Presidential and Legislative campaigns. He was accompanied by Mrs Hamida Mrabet Labidi, the former Tunisian ambassador to the UK.

The roundtable highlighted Tunisia’s role as a vital gateway to Africa where trade and investment were soaring.  Mr Marzouk outlined how Tunisia was continuing to adopt important reforms to make the market more attractive to investment and highlighted its success in establishing security for both visitors and investors. Tunisia was aiming build on its tourism strengths by developing its considerable cultural, archaeological and heritage assets.  Baroness Symons stressed that the UK needed look much closer at the country’s potential, indicating that the ABCC would be seeking to lead a business delegation to Tunisia later in the year.    

Ms Khawla Ben Aicha, Assembly member elected to represent the Tunisian diaspora in France, gave details of the country’s new investment code, which is expected to improve competitiveness by introducing new provisions for public procurement, public-private partnership and reforms to taxation and arbitration. The meeting was attended by senior representatives of various industries, potential investors, bankers, lawyers and consultants in tourism, education and IT, among others. Dr Al-Shuaiby concluded the event by stating that the discussion had highlighted significant opportunities in the market.