'Italy meets Tunisia' connects Italian and Tunisian companies

(ANSA) - TUNISI, 27 NOV - Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, in cooperation with the Italian Embassy in Tunis and the Tunisian Union of Industry, Trade and Crafts (Utica), the Ice Agency in Tunis, Simest, Confindustria Assafrica and the Tunisian-Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, organised an event to present the CDP Business Matching digital platform on the Tunisian market. 'Italy Meets Tunisia' connects Italian and Tunisian companies.
    Tunisia is Italy's main partner in North Africa, with more than 950 Italian industrial companies and economic institutions operating in Tunisia in various sectors, with trade exchanges amounting to around €5.4 billion in the first ten months of 2024, said Italy's ambassador to Tunisia, Alessandro Prunas, explaining that the platform is part of efforts to consolidate the investment mechanisms provided by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti to Italian companies, enabling them to connect with various economic actors and implement Tunisia's role in strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries. Utica President Samir Majoul said that the aim of this event is to provide networking opportunities between Tunisian and Italian companies in strategic sectors, particularly in the food industry.
    The event was broadcast live via a digital platform that will host the next virtual one-to-one meetings between companies from both countries in the coming weeks. Italy Meets Tunisia will make it possible to explore various cooperation opportunities offered by promising sectors in Tunisia and will help build real partnerships to support trade and investment. Mr. Majoul also stressed that Tunisia is a competitive and attractive destination for foreign companies, particularly Italian ones, in strategic sectors such as electronics, mechanics, textiles, food industry, information technology and renewable energy, urging Italian partners to continue investing in Tunisia and expand their cooperation to include all innovative sectors such as renewable energy, digital technology and pharmaceuticals.
    He also called on Italy to play a key role in helping to remove customs barriers that hinder the export of many Tunisian products to the EU, particularly in the textile and olive oil sectors. Director of European and International Affairs at Cdp, Salzano Pasquale, confirmed in a remote presentation that the platform is a new step forward in the facilitation and development of economic and trade exchanges between Tunisia and Italy, aimed at supporting companies and encouraging them to achieve sustainable growth. The platform, Salzano reiterated, represents an opportunity for Italian and Tunisian companies to find the right economic partner, which in turn facilitates investments in both countries and increases opportunities for both exports and imports.