Kamel Bennaceur, Minister of Industry, Energy and Mining

“Developing Mediterranean energy interconnections between Italy, Malta, Algeria, Libya could bring many benefits and complementarities – I have already started preliminary discussions on this with the Maltese ambassador.

In addition to expanding our links with Algeria, our leading oil and gas supplier, we are discussing an electrical connection to Sicily with Italy. The long-term Tunisian Solar Plan issued in 2010 is under review until June by regional authorities, civil society groups, consumer associations and industry. We are also presenting a law on renewable energies with a view to launching a balanced package of projects for photovoltaic arrays, wind energy, concentrating solar power and hydro-based storage.

As we have very high quality silicone sand deposits these may become the basis for local manufacture of photovoltaic panels with foreign partners. We are also seeking foreign support for establishing a centre of excellence for renewable energy technologies.

The discovery of substantial gas deposits in the South have led to the recent signature of a 20-year agreement with OMV, Austria which will include building gas transport links to our major industrial centres. Automative parts manufacture is well established and we would hope to attract a major automobile company to produce vehicles here.

Although the government's mandate ends in December, my Ministry is laying the basis for long-term development of our industrial sector. A revival of the textile industry is an attractive option, but based on high quality top fashion products, rather than the cheap textiles of former times.

Tunisia has a well-established industrial base including a network of over 80 industrial zones and eight technology parks focusing on research and development, involving a number of partnerships.

As for claims that our industry remains dominated by the former dictator and his family, that is simply not true. The companies in question are now held by a government body and managed under state supervision.

Revision of our investment code is well underway and my discussions include listening to the concerns of foreign investors established here, foreign embassies as well as to national investors.   The current dual regime for onshore and offshore operations will continue in modified form.

I look forward to seeing more Maltese involvement in our nation's development.”

Mrs Wided Bouchamaoui, president of the Tunisian business federation – Union Tunisienne de l'Industrie, du Commerce et de l'Artisanat (UTICA)

“UTICA has been playing an active role in the nation's political transition as a member of the “quartet”  alongside the trade union federation UGTT, the Bar Association and the Tunisian League for Human Rights.

This formation was able to propose a solution accepted by all to the deepening political impasse in 2012 and 2013. The provisional government of technocrats subsequently installed in January and in office until the elections at the end of this year has a major task ahead in setting the scene for Tunisia's economic revival.

Tunisia has many strengths but a number of problems require urgent solution to give business the security and confidence it needs for the future. Among them is the elimination of smuggling by effective policing of our borders, a crackdown on widespread illegal trading operations, reform of the taxation system as well as the achievement of industrial peace. The economy cannot flourish with the kind of wildcat strikes which have been all too frequent in the last three years. 

Youth unemployment must be urgently addressed – but we must also critically review the educational system and ensure that the universities equip our young graduates with the kind of skills needed by the economy. Vocational training also needs a thorough overhaul.

Our 2020 Vision document calls for a prosperous nation to practise solidarity, with strong moral values and a competitive, resilient and dynamic economy. Work, free enterprise, professional success must be recognised as societal values, all social classes, regions and generations must have equal opportunities to create wealth, public and private property must be protected.

UTICA actively seeks and is concluding partnerships abroad with sister federations. UTICA strongly believes in “co-localisation” –  spreading manufacturing and other activities across several countries in mutually beneficial co-operative ventures. I am confident that broad opportunities for this approach exist between Tunisia and Malta.”

Hédi Belhaj, chairman of Societé Nationale des Eaux (SONEDE) –  the state water company

“Though different in size, our two arid Mediterranean nations face similar water supply problems, which will be exacerbated by the impact of climate change on precipitation patterns and thus the potential of our aquifers.

Already our low levels of per capita annual supply put both our nations in the “water poor” category. Over 90% of Tunisia's available water resources are already mobilised. Over the next 10 years, we intend to install at least four seawater desalination plants – a technology in which Malta has great experience.  I visited two of your plants last June and was impressed by the low costs they have attained.

Your water tariff system is simple, unlike ours – we can learn from it. Both nations need to educate our consumers that water is a precious resource to use carefully, not wastefully. There are also many illegal boreholes in our country, an issue now being addressed in Malta. Groundwater and soil pollution are other common problems as is the need to train our farmers in the most efficient irrigation methods.

The huge spike in summer water demand during the tourist season is another shared issue along with the consequent large output of waste water along our coastal areas. This needs to be recycled for re-use and related quality problems solved.

Both our countries need to restore workable traditional technologies on a large scale, such as rooftop and rural reservoir rainwater collectors linked to underground cisterns. We are also currently restoring ingenious Roman systems – an aqueduct and a set of galleries set in a mountain.

Tunisia has started to reverse years of deforestation:  the state's ambitious forestry programmes will both restore what we have lost and help protect our groundwater and soil resources.

I foresee increasing exchanges and co-operation with Malta's Water Services Corporation and related industrial sectors to face our challenging water problems.”

Rabeh Bouasker, director general, Agence de Promotion des Investissements Agricoles (APIA) – Agency for investment in agriculture

“APIA is a state organisation focused on promoting private investment in agriculture, fisheries and forestry.

We identify investment possibilities and ideas for projects and place this information at the disposal of the public. We also assist project proposers who range from small farmers to major investors in drawing up the related documentation and generally facilitate the approval process. Various types of financial assistance are available, whether state subsidies, loans or import tariff waivers. We have a special focus on young farmers and students graduating from Tunisia's broad range of agriculture research institutes.

We reach out to potential foreign investors via their embassies in Tunisia, organise information days and seminars both here and abroad, such as this month's Semaine Bio (organic week) with events in Tunis and other locations. Our next major agriculture event, the Salon International de l'Agriculture Tunisienne will take place here from 29 October to 1 November.

There are numerous investment opportunities for foreigners who, however, cannot acquire land but instead can rent it for 25 years or more under partnership and profit-sharing agreements with landowners. Our agricultural strategy is based on both enhancing national food security while developing production for export or as inputs to our processed food industry, where foreign investors, mainly from Italy, France, Spain and Germany, are prominent players. Fruit and vegetable greenhouses heated with geothermal energy are a new sector with potential.

Our organic sector, covering nearly 200,000 hectares and involving over 2,500 producers is the second largest in Africa after Kenya, and has attracted both foreign investors and finance from Tunisians based abroad. The 104 APIA approved and supported investment projects in organic agriculture amount to over €25m  invested with an additional €10m state support.

Agricultural co-operation with Malta is already underway, for example, a recent agreement to supply a Gozo-based tomato paste processor with tomatoes and another involving the setting up of an olive oil plant in Malta to process Tunisian olives for export of oil to the EU. A number of Maltese operators are also emerging as investors in agricultural ventures here.”

Adel Boujemaa, Chair, Tunisian-Maltese Business Council

“We keep our Tunisian and Maltese members continuously informed about investment  opportunities arising in Tunisia, in particular those relating to major projects.

A major example is the three-year €12bn programme launched last year by the Belgian Euro-African Partnership Chamber (la Chambre de Partenariat Euro-Afrique de Belgique). Leading executives from this Chamber will attend the Forum in Malta.

Bilateral trade flows increased last year offering a basis for encouraging investments such as the development of a direct maritime link between our two countries by 2015.  Both Maltese and Tunisian entrepreneurs should concentrate on this maritime sector, along with logistics, agriculture including organic products and food processing, biotechnology, ICT, aeronautics, plastics, automobile parts, electrical and electronic goods, textiles and medical tourism.

North-South and South-South partnerships are the way forward – North-South such as those already existing between the Tunisian business federation, the Union Tunisienne de l'Industrie, du Commerce et de l'Artisanat with the Belgian Chamber and the French business association MEDEF  (Mouvement des Entreprises de France) as well as the recently launched private sector Euro-Magbreb Engineering.

 South-South calls for an efficient process to build a business partnership across the Maghreb region then extending it to the Middle East.

In order to stimulate the flow of foreign investments, Tunisia must issue a new investment code as well as legislation to facilitate public private partnerships.”

Mokthar Chouari, marketing director, Foreign Investment Promotion Agency, Commissioner   Tunisia Investment Forum 2014

“Contrary to hopes arising from our transition to democracy, foreign investments have not increased in the past few years, due to investors' uncertainties about future political developments.

These uncertainties will be fully resolved on the establishment of a government with a five-year mandate following the general elections at the end of this year.

Meanwhile FIPA's high-level forum, New Tunisia, new democracy, new opportunities, on 12/13 June with already over 1,000 registrations – will be showcasing Tunisia's investment attractions. The head of Government Mehdi Joumaaa, other political leaders as well as local investors will present the new, more transparent and healthy investment environment.

Four thematic workshops will address key aspects including the expected role of ongoing economic reforms in high added value industries, whose development is largely dependent on successful integration into the global value chains. The achievements recorded so far by our sectors such as automotive, electrical, electronic and aerospace components as well as offshoring activities are a solid basis on which to build. Four hundred global brands already manufacture in Tunisia and we are EU's fifth largest import supplier.

Inclusiveness is another pillar for Tunisia's new model of development. Decentralization provided for under the new constitution will enhance decision-making at the regional level and thus their related assets and competitiveness. The forum will present regional investment development prospects. B2B meetings will be scheduled according to the areas of interest expressed by the participants.

FIPA has seven liaison offices in EU countries and one in Japan. Its exhaustive documentation on investment procedures and opportunities available on line in several languages, now includes the recently issued Factor cost of production in Tunisia.”