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The recent visit of Elyes Kasri, Tunisian Ambassador to India, for the first anniversary of the Indo-Tunisian Friendship Association, Chennai chapter, explored ways to improve trade and tourism.
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ELYES KASRI, Tunisian Ambassador to India, was in Chennai last week to ``sell'' Tunisia as an investment destination and attend the first anniversary of the Indo-Tunisian Friendship Association, Chennai Chapter. Addressing a group of businessmen, gathered under the auspices of the Southern India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SIICI), Kasri said the rules of globalisation had become tougher, especially for developing countries and that India and Tunisia should pool their resources to meet the challenges of globalisation and exploit the new opportunities it had spawned.
``Let us export together,'' he offered. Elaborating, he said India had been overlooking the vast potential for trade and investment in North Africa. And Tunisia, a North African country, offered tremendous trade opportunities vis-a-vis the European market, which, he claimed, was poised to become the biggest market in the world.
``Tunisia is strategically located at the gate of Europe. Just 87 nautical miles separate Tunisia from Europe.'' This geographical reality provided Tunisia a unique access to Europe and its market, he said, adding that India and Tunisia should jointly target this market.
Thanks to a free trade agreement with the European Union, products with ``Tunisian-added'' value enjoyed duty-free and quota free access to the European market. On the investment climate in his country, he said there were 2,350 foreign companies (not counting those having sub-contracts) operating in Tunisian soil. ``For a population of 10 million, last year we received $1.5 billion in foreign investment.'' Tunisia offered a competitive labour force. It had been achieving 5 per cent GDP rate since 1987; and the target now was 6 to 6.5 per cent. Tourism was a major foreign exchange earner. ``Last year 5.5 million tourists visited Tunisia. That translates to one tourist for every two Tunisians.'' Areas for economic partnership included pharmaceutical, information technology, apparel, footwear, leather goods and automobile component industries. The India-Tunisia Business Council was exploring opportunities for joint production, marketing and distribution and technology transfer, he added.
He said the meeting of the bilateral committee, scheduled for next month, was among efforts to improve the bilateral regulatory framework for trade and investment, as also for non-profit sectors like education and culture.
Kasri had many words of praise for Chennai. ``This is my first visit to this beautiful city, and your warm-hearted welcome has ensured that it will not be my last.''
At the anniversary of the Indo-Tunisian Friendship Association, Chennai Chapter, Kasri said Tunisia and India shared a long history of friendly relations.
And that his country remembered with gratitude the support India gave Tunisia during its struggle for Independence. As a mark of friendship two streets in Tunis, the Tunisian capital, had been dedicated to India and Indians — one was named Mahatma Gandhi Street and the other India Street.
He said it was necessary for people-to-people contacts between the two countries. ``It is very important that organisations like the Indo-Tunisian Friendship Association build additional channels of communication.''
PRINCE FREDERICK
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