As part of his last activities before the end of his mission in Tunisia, a day-information organized , on Monday at the premises of Utica, provide Serge Degallaix, Ambassador of France to Tunis, the opportunity to review moves designed to further strengthen the Tunisian-French partnership. He said that the fact that France is the first partner of Tunisia, and is among the top twenty partners of his country “ahead of some industrialized countries” reflects good economic and trade relations between the two countries, and which should be further consolidated. S. Degallaix who was speaking on the sidelines of the day’s Tunisian-French partnership, financial instruments, along with Taoufik Baccar Governor of the Central Bank of Tunisia, Hedi Jilani President of the Tunisian Union of Industry Commerce and Handicrafts, has announced the launching of a 40 million Euros credit line for Tunisian SMEs.
This credit line is intended to finance goods and services from France at attractive conditions.
Intermediates of this line of credit that banks Tunisian investigating cases that are subsequently validated by the French economic services and the BCT.
The interest rate stipulated in the agreement is 0.1% for a handover in currencies and 2.1% for a handover in dinars Intermediate Chartered Tunisians (IAT).
For businesses, it is 2.6% up year for a handover in currencies and 4.6% up year for retrocession in dinar, maturity of up to 10 years including 5 years grace.
This line of credit and reinforces the role of France as the leading funder of Tunisia, by providing financial support through a range of instruments available to the public and private. The commitments of the AFD (French Development Agency) in Tunisia are the largest made in the world.
On this occasion, Minister of Trade and Handicrafts Ridha Ben Mosbah said a better targeted Tunisian-French partnership will certainly help the two countries face up to external shocks and take up future challenges, in particular those related to the energy and environment fields.
He added that given the delicate stage Tunisia is going through, financing mechanisms and instruments should be tailored to the country’s development needs.
He pointed, in this regard, to the launch of the new French credit line for Tunisian SMEs, particularly off-shore ones (40 million Euros).
He said that France, in its capacity as first supplier, first customer and first donor of Tunisia with an annual contribution of 100 million Euros, is for Tunisia a sure ally and a strategic partner.
In another connection, Serge Degallaix highlighted efforts exerted during his term to develop projects and initiatives in line with both countries’ interests, particularly in the area of industrial partnership which benefits from ” a shared interest from Tunisia and France, a sector where new ideas will be conceived.”
Addressing Tunisian and foreign reporters, he mentioned co-operation projects, in particular in the aeronautics and nuclear sector, an area where, he said, we have stepped up a gear in matters of training.”
In this respect, he referred to the nuclear co-operation agreement initialed after the visit of French President Nicolas Sarkozy in April 2008 in Tunisia and which has experienced a progress in terms of studies and training of Tunisian nuclear engineers.
Regarding visas, “though the point is badly received,” the ambassador said, the agreement between Tunisia and France in this area ” has made and will make things easier in the future.”
With regard to co-operation in higher education, the ambassador noted that the number of Tunisian students in France ranges currently between 10,000 and 11,000 students. “I am leaving with a feeling of great satisfaction for having had the chance to work in Tunisia, a country that “is in progress” underlined Mr. Serge Degallaix, saying that his successor, Mr. Peter Ménat ” is a specialist in European affairs who has held several positions, particularly in the Presidency and the Quai d’Orsay.”