“Trust is the most influential factor in investment decisions, which is why it’s essential to capitalize on foreign direct investment (FDI) already established in the country to raise Tunisia’s profile and attract new investors,” emphasized Tarak Cherif, President of the ANIMA Investment Network, on Friday.
In a statement to the media on the sidelines of the 30th anniversary celebration of the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA Tunisia), held in Tunis, Cherif, who is also the founder of Tunisia’s second largest employers’ organization, CONECT, stressed the urgent need to continuously adapt the national business environment to investors’ evolving needs, technological changes, and rising international competition.
He also highlighted the importance of modernizing public administration to speed up how investor requirements are processed, time being a critical factor in business, and to revise legislation (tax, land access, etc.) in line with investment demands.
Additionally, he suggested exploring the best ways to attract investment from the Tunisian diaspora.
During the event, Cherif stated: “The United Nations just released global foreign investment figures for 2024, and I see good news.
While FDI is declining in Asia and many parts of the world, North Africa is among the few regions showing significant FDI growth. Tunisia is no exception, having regained FDI levels in 2024 that surpass those of 2019, pre-COVID.”
“The report also indicates a boom in greenfield investments in Tunisia, with project announcements totaling $13 billion.”
Highlighting ANIMA’s efforts to promote investment in its countries of operation, including Tunisia, Cherif said: “We adopted ANIMA’s new strategy this morning for the coming years.
It aims to further deepen regional economic integration around the Mediterranean basin and is focused on major challenges facing businesses in the Maghreb: the environmental transition, especially for accessing European markets, the digital shift, the rise of AI in production, and innovation.”
Founded 19 years ago, ANIMA is a major international network that brings together public and private organizations that support investment and enterprise between Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
