Tunisia’s exports to Kenya went up 113% between 2017 and 2018 but are still low despite Tunisia’s ability to access this buoyant market, President of the Tunisia-Africa Business Council (TABC) Bassem Loukil said Tuesday.
“Tunisian products are on demand,” Loukil added during the Tunisia-Kenya Business Forum held in Tunis. He noted that several Kenyan companies have shown a deep interest in importing Tunisian goods despite the long distance between the two countries and the absence of direct flights.
“Tunisia is the 100th exporter to Kenya while the latter is the 3rd importer from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) after Egypt and Libya with imports worth 14 billion dollars per year,” he further indicated
Loukil said Kenya’s economy is consumption-driven, noting that 60% of the country’s needs are met through the import of processing products, construction material, textile and food products.
Held by TABC, in co-operation with the Africa Co-operation Network, the Tunisia-Kenya Business Forum is part of the project “promotion of employment-intensive export activities in new markets in Africa” (PEMA) implemented by GIZ.
The event seeks to consolidate export activities on African markets and increase Tunisian exporters’ awareness about Kenyan markets’ potentials and export opportunities. The event takes place on November 12 in Tunis, on November 13 in Hammamet and November 14 in Sousse.
These Roadshows will be followed by field visits in other regions, namely in Siliana, Sidi Bouzid, Tozeur and Kebili.
This initiative is an extension of the prospecting mission carried out in Nairobi from October 13 to 21, 2019.
The purpose of that mission is to create a networking between Think Africa members, Kenyan institutions and business communities and the CEPEX office in Nairobi.
It also seeks to develop a lasting cooperation between Tunisia and Kenya.
Kenya’s economy grows 5.7% each year. The Kenyan population is about 50 million people and its purchasing power sees an 11% increase yearly, making Kenya’s middle class one of the richest classes on the African continent.
