A series of regional "Business Road" will be held from September 21 to December 23, 2016 in eight governorates of Tunisia to accompany Tunisian companies based in those regions in their efforts to access international markets, said Lotfi Darragi, Director of the company “Innovation Business Network” (IBN), organiser of this event.

Speaking at a press conference held Tuesday, Darragi stressed that this public-private initiative, organised under the patronage of the Ministry of Industry and Trade will focus, in its first edition, on companies located in the governorates of Mahdia, Sfax, Beja, Kef, Kairouan, Gafsa, Gabes and Tozeur, by providing them appropriate solutions and mechanisms, through a programme of exhibitions, conferences, business meetings and networking.

So far, 400 companies have registered to participate in the "Business Road" which theme will be "the key to improving the competitiveness of your business and enter the international market," he said.

He added that companies participating in the event are already established and looking to export and expand into new international markets, affirming that the conferences and exhibitions planned for this purpose will identify the different programmes, mechanisms and funds made available to Tunisian companies, in order to improve their competitiveness, access foreign markets and create jobs.

For his part, Skander Ben Mustapha, Business Reform & Competitivess Project BRCP) Director, under the US Agency for International Development (USAID) noted that companies operating in the regions concerned have great potential, except that it is untapped, and the latter ignore the constraints of internationalisation hence the need to support them in this process.

Ben Mustapha said the BRCP, co-organiser of the Business Road is funded by USAID with a budget of $ 15 million, or 33,120 MTD over three years, with the aim of creating jobs through improving the competitiveness of businesses.

 Mohamed Arfa, director of support for business start-ups, under the Agency for the Promotion of Industry and Innovation (APII) recalled the mechanisms offered by the public body for companies to be innovative and able to compete. Among these mechanisms, he cited the business nurseries and partnership programmes between national and foreign companies.

According to the official, the APII monitors 5,900 companies in industry and 3,000 companies in services.

The regional meetings will see the participation of several partners including CEPEX, the APII, GIZ, CONECT, CJD and national and international chambers of commerce.

Source : TAP