The Pakistani embassy in Tunis, on Monday, organised a working luncheon with representatives of the business community in Tunisia, as the honorary consul of Tunisia in Peshawar, Pakistan, Ammad Rasheed paid a short visit to the country. The event was attended by designated ambassador of Pakistan to Tunisia Javeed Umrani, Ambassador of Tunisia to Pakistan, Kamel Borhene and the honorary consul of Pakistan in the region of Sfax and southern Tunisia, Anouar Triki. The participants, who included three vice presidents and executive members of the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA), and heads of professional federation and a representative from the Tunisian Union of Agriculture and Fisheries (UTAP) and Tunisian hotel Federation and various business operators discussed the investment and trade opportunities with Pakistan, the embassy said in a statement. the presidents of professional federations expressed the wish to establish relations with their Pakistani counterparts through the Honorary Consul of Pakistan in Tunisia and the Honorary Consul of Tunisia in Pakistan to discuss possibilities of undertaking joint ventures which would facilitate access for Pakistani operators to African, Arab and European markets by benefiting from the preferential conditions enjoyed by Tunisia. The Ambassador designate, Javed Ahmed Umrani highlighted ways to increase bilateral trade between both the countries such as frequent exchange of trade delegations, arranging of single country exhibition in Tunisia and signing of Preferential Trade Agreement between two countries. He further stressed that holding of upcoming 10th Joint Commission on Economic Joint Commission on Economic, Trade and Technical matters between Pakistan and Tunisia will ensure signing of a number of MoUs and holding of meetings between Joint Working Groups (JWG) in sectors such as Olive cultivation, Industries, Energy and mining. He pointed out that Pakistan with its 241 million population and 60% youth, is a huge consumer market and great exporter of skilled labor force, saying among many areas of cooperation, textiles, agriculture, electrical industries, automobiles, pharmaceuticals and surgical were key industries that came under discussion. The Tunisian Ambassador highlighted that Tunisian businessmen need to learn more about Pakistan's markets especially in textile sector as Pakistan work on much lower tariff rates and with cheap labor and have raw material and processing units which Tunisia needs to import. On the other hand, Pakistan may take benefit from Tunisia's free trade agreements with European Union, European countries and also benefit from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement that was ratified by Tunisia in July 2020. Pakistan can benefit from this agreement by reaching out to African markets as part of triangular trade schemes and investment cooperation agreement with Tunisian firms and companies, said the same source.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse