DCCI received Tunisian Prime Minister

The official reception of the Tunisian delegate was attended by Mr. Abdul Rahman Ghanem Al Mutaiwee, Director General of DCCI, Mr. Juma Al Majid, Chairman of the Dubai Council for Economic Affairs, and the heads of a number of DCCI's departments, leading businessmen in Dubai and a number of DCCI's members. The Tunisian delegation also included top businessmen and investors.

The DCCI's Chairman welcomed the Tunisian Prime Minister and wished the visit could help enhance effective cooperation and establish economic partnerships and support the bilateral relations between Dubai and Tunisia. Al Tayer highlighted the strong ties between the UAE in general, Dubai in particular, with Tunisia, which reflects a mutual understanding that helps realize more economic and trade cooperation in both countries.

"This visit provides an opportunity to introduce the available investment projects and the facilities granted by the Tunisian government to investors, benefiting from the strategic location of Tunisia among the western Arab countries and its distinguished relation with the European Union (EU) and its role in opening new channels to trade markets in Europe for the UAE businessmen," said Al Tayer.

He pointed out that the visit would also help introduce the Tunisian businessmen and investors to the available investment opportunities in Dubai due to the emirate's achievements in different fields of construction, finance, tourism, communications and information technology, in addition to the economic development which helped Dubai gain the trust of world financial establishments and investors. He also spoke of Dubai's efforts to turn into an international center for business and services, with the ability to attract investments due to its improved infrastructure, free economy, low customs charges, political and social stability, strong trade ties and an economic growth in different fields of commerce, transport, tourism, industry, technology and financial sectors.

"The DCCI plays a key role in highlighting Dubai through its contribution during the last 40 years in strengthening trade and dealing effectively with different economic sectors," Al Tayer added.

The DCCI's Chairman underlined the Dubai Chamber's future vision which reflects its role as a principal organization that ensures Dubai's recognized competitiveness in business. Al Tayer stressed the DCCI's readiness to provide all possible facilities and support to the Tunisian businessmen and investors intending to do business in Dubai.

"We invite all Tunisian investors, producers and other leading business institutions in different fields to set up new projects in Dubai and its free zones, either as direct investments or as partnerships with UAE nationals enjoying a free and transparent environment and safe investment," said Al Tayer.

He also invited businessmen and investors in both countries to take advantage of the cooperation agreements signed by the UAE and Tunisia such as the anti-double taxation agreement and the investment protection and insurance agreement which were both signed in 1997.

Al Tayer urged the Tunisian delegate to speed up the establishment of a Tunisian business council in Dubai such as the 33 Arabic and foreign business councils which are operating in the emirate under the umbrella of the Dubai Chamber. He said that this business council would help in promoting the Tunisian products and support the bilateral trade exchange between the two countries, in addition to its role in encouraging investments between Dubai and Tunisia.

He said that a big increase is expected in Dubai's foreign non-oil trade whose total value reached AED 215.7 billion in 2004, compared with AED 95.5 billion in 2000, recording a 126 % increase and an annual rate of growth of 22.6 %.

According to the DCCI's database, the number of Tunisian companies operating in Dubai increased to 48 companies up to 2005, and the number of these corporations is expected to increase dramatically.

Al Tayer added that the total non-oil trade between the two countries reached AED 99.5 million in 2004, while Dubai's total re-exports to Tunisia in the same year reached AED 60.2 million in the same year, whereas Dubai's total imports from Tunisia in 2004 hit AED 23 million, and Dubai's exports to Tunisia in the same year reached AED 16.4 million.

"We look forward to see an increase in the volume of investments and visits exchange between the delegations and businessmen in both countries, in addition to holding exhibitions and exchanging expertise which would help enhance effective cooperation and open new perspectives between the two countries," Al Tayer added.

His Excellency Mohammed Al Ghannouchi, The Tunisian Prime Minister, stressed his country's interest over enhancing relations with the UAE through exchanging visits and opening new channels for bilateral business in different economic sectors, highlighting the remarkable economic position which the UAE is experiencing.

The Tunisian Prime Minister spoke of the achievements which the Tunisian economy gained during the last few years thanks to the recent reformations which the Tunisian government undertook and the other facilities and services which it provides to businessmen and investors of the UAE.

He introduced Al Tayer and other DCCI's directors and members to the Tunisian businessmen and CEOs of the delegate who deal in different fields of business such as foodstuff, oil, ceramics, agriculture, tourism and information technology.

"We are much interested in supporting the bilateral trade ties between Dubai and Tunisia through looking for new opportunities of investment which would help enhance mutual welfare and support the national economy in both countries," said Mr. Al Ghannouchi.

He spoke of the improvement of the Tunisian economy in the past few years and the variable economic facilities which the Tunisian government offers to investors. He said that Tunisia is about to step into a new stage of growth and economic development in different sectors of services, converting industries hoping to turn Tunisia into an international center of services and businesses.

The Tunisian Prime Minister presented a list of new investments opportunities and proposed enterprises which might be of an interest to the UAE businessmen and investors covering different sectors of logistics services, developing seaports, tourism, communications, aviation, insurance, power generating stations, water desalination plants and oil refining.

Several side meetings were held between the businessmen of Tunisia and Dubai where they discussed the possibility of setting up commercial partnerships and other investing enterprises in both countries.