Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) reached 775.3 million Tunisian dinars (MTD) in the first half year of 2011 compared with 936.6 MTD in the same period of last year, down 17.2 %.
Despite this fall, the Foreign Investments Promotion Agency (FIPA) speaks about signs of recovery in the flow of FDI, compared with the 25% decrease recorded since the beginning of the year.
The Tunisia Investment Forum held last June 16-17 in Tunisia had likely sent a positive signal to foreign businessmen who were taken wait-and-see attitude, according to statement from FIPA.
These investments are shared out as follows: 734.5 MTD in FDI and 40.8 MTD in portfolio compared with 826.6 MTD and 108 MTD, respectively, in the first half of last year, i.e. down 11.4% and 62.2%.
Sector-based analyses of the FDIs show a concentration on energy and manufacturing industries with values of 430 MTD and 196.8 MTD, respectively.
Despite the decline in volume, FDIs helped create 6,128 new jobs in the first six months of the current year, compared with 5,932 in the same period last year, i.e. a 3.3% growth.
Drops in volume mainly involved tourism (92.9%), manufacturing industries (18%) and energy (5.7%).
Yet, the services sector posted a growth of 38.7% in investments made in the first half of 2011, i.e. 102.5 MTD, compared with 73.9 MTD in the same period of 2010.
FIPA recalls in its communiqué that 85 new foreign ventures started production in the first half of 2011, including 11 set up in interior regions.
One hundred and twelve extensions were recorded in foreign companies already settled in Tunisia and 6,128 new jobs were created, 5,470 of which in manufacturing industries.
