The sixth session of the Maltese-Tunisian Mixed Commission will meet tomorrow in Tunis under the co-chairmanship of the Foreign Affairs Minister Michael Frendo and the Tunisian Foreign Affairs Minister Abdelwahab Abdallah.
During an official visit to Tunisia between today and Sunday, Foreign Minister Michael Frendo will also have meetings with Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the Tourism Minister Tijani Haddad, the Communication Technology Minister Montassar Ouaili, and Commerce and Handicrafts Minister Mondher Zenaidi.
“My visit to Tunisia is primarily intended to propagate further the close and friendly ties between the two countries. This visit is also taking place within the context of the ongoing political dialogue between Malta and Tunisia intended to consolidate bilateral cooperation in all spheres,” Minister Frendo said.
The delegation consists of senior officials from the ministry, including Permanent Secretary Cecilia Attard Pirotta, and other officials from the ministries of Environment and Rural Affairs, Family and Social Solidarity and of Industry, Investment and Information Technology, and from the University of Malta.
The delegation also includes a total of 14 businesspersons from Malta who had answered a call for expressions of interest issued recently by the Foreign Affairs Ministry. A special programme for these businesspersons has been organised by the Embassy of Malta in Tunis and the Economic and Cultural Affairs Department of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, in collaboration with the Maison de l’ Exportateur of Tunis (equivalent to a Chamber of Exporters).
The programme includes a business cooperation seminar for Maltese and Tunisian businessmen. The seminar will be co-chaired by Foreign Minister Frendo and by the Tunisian Minister of Trade and Handicrafts. After the seminar, Maltese and Tunisian business persons will have the opportunity to interact and hold one-to-one meetings with counterparts in respective sectors.
On Saturday, Foreign Minister Frendo will chair a regional meeting of Maltese Ambassadors in the North African region namely, Libya, Egypt and Tunisia. The meeting is expected to discuss an action plan for each of Malta’s North African Embassies in the context of the Strategic Objectives of Malta’s Foreign Policy.
Minister Frendo will also deliver a keynote address in a conference organised by the Institute of Diplomatic Studies within the Tunisian Foreign Affairs Ministry entitled “Malta in the Mediterranean of tomorrow: perspectives and strategies”.
Foreign Minister Frendo will also address the Maltese community residing in Tunisia at a reception organised at the residence of Malta’s Ambassador in Tunis.
The last meeting of the Mixed Commission (5th Session) was held in Malta in December 2004.