The relations between Malta and Tunisia are excellent and there is much business potential between the two countries, especially in the fields of tourism, financial services and telecommunications, President Edward Fenech Adami said yesterday.

Speaking to a group of Tunisian businessmen during a two-day official visit, President Fenech Adami said that he was optimistic that both countries will be able to join forces to identify more and more niche markets now that a Maltese-Tunisian Business Council has been created.

“Our deep friendship needs to be matched by a quantitative and qualitative intensification of direct investments and partnerships between Tunisia and Malta, both on our own turf and in third countries.”

The President said that several Maltese companies have chosen to invest in Tunisia, in some instances decentralising from Malta.

“As a member state of the European Union, Malta strives to bring the Mediterranean dimension to the union’s agenda. Such actions demonstrate that in Malta, our Arab Mediterranean partners may find a trusted interlocutor in the European Union. Malta will continue to put the message across to the European Union that it is also in the European Union’s interest to develop trade and investment in North Africa and the Middle East, as this guarantees peace and stability.”

President Fenech Adami said that, “in mapping out our vision of the Mediterranean we should acknowledge that we may have different perspectives and should not allow diversity to be a hurdle to a common vision.

“Malta and Tunisia are neighbours. We have a special responsibility to work together. It is possible to work together to achieve great things for our peoples and for a Mediterranean based on peace and stability”.