"The Malta Chamber is committed to sustaining and promoting the excellent business relations between Malta and Tunisia and will continue to strive to bringing businesses closer together, for the mutual benefit of both sides" said Frank V. Farrugia President of the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry as he was welcoming delegates to the Malta-Tunisia Business Forum on 12th March.
"I am confident that as a result of our mutual efforts and this Business Forum today, we shall be successful in achieving our objective" Mr Farrugia said.
The Business Forum was organised by the Malta Chamber in collaboration with its counterpart in the North-African country, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tunis.
The Chamber President spoke about the numerous commonalities the two Mediterranean countries share, and which can be developed. "In fact, I believe that our two countries can collaborate to a degree that can be mutually beneficial" he said.
Mr Farrugia referred to the previous Malta-Tunisia Business Forum which was held in Tunisia in November 2017. "This is the second time we are meeting in a Malta-Tunisia Business Forum in less than six months, as I am pleased to welcome you to our Chamber, in reciprocation" he said.
"In fact 26 Maltese business representatives from nineteen Malta-based companies participated in a successful two-day trade mission last November. I am pleased to note that today, we have more than 150 business to business meetings which are planned to take place. I am confident that these meetings, which once again are being faciliated through the Enterprise Europe Network, will once again bring Tunisian and Maltese investors together, and result in a number of collaborations and investment opportunities to the benefit of both sides. I augur that these meetings will register the same level of success as our previous initiatives" Mr Farrugia concluded
The Business Forum was also addressed by President of Malta Marie Louise Coleiro Preca, Secretary of State of Foreign Trade of the Republic of Tunisia Hichem ben Ahmed, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion Carmelo Abela, the President of the Tunisian Union of Agriculture and Fishing Abdelmajid Ezzar, and the President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tunis Mounir Mouakhar.
As part of the same forum, Memoranda of Understanding were signed between the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tunis; the Tunisian Union of Liberal Professions and Malta Federation of Professional Associations; as well as the Tunisian General Union of Veterinarians and Malta Veterinary Association.