Tunis: The industrial sector, which is represented by 4,702 companies promoting the employment of 534,000 people, contributes 90% to exports, or 50 billion dinars/year, said Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy, Fatma Thabet. Speaking at the eighth edition of the "Tunisia Economic Forum" organized Monday under the theme "Tunisian Industry: Modernization and Recovery", Thabet emphasized the importance of the sector which has promoted the position of Tunisia internationally. «This was made possible thanks to several sectors including textile and clothing, agri-food industries, aeronautical and automotive components and expertise that have favored the attraction of value-added investments,» the minister pointed out She underlined that Tunisia is working to achieve the energy transition by developing renewable energy, encouraging industrialists to self-produce electricity from renewable energy, invest in the environment and control energy consumption. Member of the IACE Steering Committee, Nafaa Ennaifer, e mphasized the decline in the contribution of the industry sector to GDP, which (contribution) fell from 30% in 2010 to 23% in 2022. «Several failures and obstacles will need to be resolved as soon as possible to promote the sector's development,» he indicated. Ennaifer cited as examples the administrative barriers, the slowness of procedures and the granting of authorizations, in addition to "the general climate of the country that demonizes the company and investors". Director General of the Agency for the Promotion of Industry and Innovation (APII), Omar Bouzouada recalled that the industrial strategy for 2035 aims to improve the business climate through digitization, reviewing legislation, upgrading infrastructure and logistics, developing industrial zones and transport as well as attracting foreign direct investments (FDI). The strategy in question also focuses on achieving the energy transition, ensuring the sustainability of the company, in addition to developing its exports, facilitating its access to new foreign markets and doubling the volume of exports by 2035. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse