Tunisia will establish a trade promotion delegation to Vietnam in the first half of 2024 to organize a Business Forum between the two countries and introduce Tunisia’s strong products.
According to Vietnam News Agency correspondents in Africa, from October 31 to November 5, the Vietnam Trade Office in Algeria concurrently working in Tunisia organized a business trip in the capital Tunis (Tunisia) to work with relevant agencies of the country. country and coordinated with the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA) to organize an online trade conference connecting businesses of both sides.
While in Tunisia, Vietnamese Trade Counselor Hoang Duc Nhuan worked with leaders of the Department of Economic and Trade Cooperation, the Department of Cooperation with Arab and ASEAN Countries, and the Department of Commerce under the Ministry of Trade and Development. export, the Asian Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad and President of the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Crafts (UTICA) Samir Majoul to discuss the state of trade cooperation and measures to promote bilateral relations.
On November 2, the Vietnam Trade Office and UTICA jointly organized an online trade conference with the participation of representatives of a number of Tunisian ministries and branches and 60 businesses of the two countries. Speaking at the conference, Mr. Slim Ghorbel, Vice President and member of the UTICA National Committee, assessed this as a good opportunity to strengthen bilateral economic and trade relations.
Although it is a small country with an area of 163,610 km2 and a population of about 12.5 million people, Tunisia is one of the most dynamic and competitive economies in the African-Arab region, deeply integrated internationally. , has a convenient location near Europe (140 km away). The country has participated in eight multilateral and bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs). Therefore, this can be considered a gateway for goods from countries, including Vietnam, to enter African and Arab markets, especially the North African region.
Every year, Tunisia needs to buy 30,000 tons of raw coffee (mainly robusta) and 30,000 tons of rice. Basic commodities such as rice, sugar, coffee and green tea are exclusively imported by the Tunisian Trade Department through international bidding.
Mr. Slim Ghorbel called on Vietnamese businesses to invest, enter into joint ventures, and associate with Tunisian partners in fields such as processing industry, new technology, marine fish farming… to take advantage of the strategic location and natural resources. Rich resources, modern infrastructure, highly skilled workers and exports to other countries in the region. He also hopes that Vietnam will create conditions for importing Tunisia’s strong products such as dates, olive oil, phosphates…
A representative of UTICA said they would plan to establish a trade promotion delegation to Vietnam in the first half of 2024 to organize a Business Forum between the two countries and introduce Tunisia’s strong products.
On this occasion, Commercial Counselor Hoang Duc Nhuan introduced Vietnam’s economic and trade situation, import-export policies and relations between the two countries. In 2022, trade exchange between Vietnam and Tunisia will reach about 66 million USD and in the first 9 months of 2023 there will be strong growth, reaching nearly 70 million USD, of which Vietnam exports products such as raw coffee. , pepper, cashew nuts, seafood, machinery and equipment, razors, fabrics… and imports of seafood, dates, chemicals, plastic items, clothes, raw materials for animal feed…
Regarding the legal framework, Vietnam and Tunisia have signed a number of important documents such as the Trade Agreement (1994) in which the two sides committed to giving each other Most Favored Nation status, the Agreement on Economic and Cultural Cooperation. chemistry, science and technology (1999), Framework Agreement on Agricultural Cooperation (2002), Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation, support and development of the business community between the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and Tuinisa Confederation of Industry, Commerce and Handicrafts (UTICA) (2005), Agreement on Visa Exemption for Diplomatic, Official and Special Passport Holders (2007), Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation and Preventing tax evasion (2010). The two countries also held three Intergovernmental Committee meetings, the most recent of which took place in the capital Tunis in April 2018.
A representative of the Vietnam Trade Office assessed that trade cooperation between the two countries is still modest and not commensurate with the potential because businesses do not pay enough attention to each other’s markets. Tunisia’s trade exchange is still focused mainly with the European Union (EU) and Africa due to geographical proximity and free trade agreements. To promote bilateral economic and trade relations, the two sides need to actively organize promotion and propaganda activities about each country’s potential and strengths.
From 2021 up to now, the Vietnam Trade Office has coordinated with relevant units of Vietnam and Tunisia to organize 03 trade conferences connecting businesses of the two countries. At the above conference, businesses from both sides asked many questions about market prospects, products, trade policies, tariff issues, payments… and were satisfactorily answered by the organizers. Some delegates proposed that the two governments need to have policies to create conditions for each side’s goods to enter the other’s market through negotiations to reduce import taxes.
Source : BNews
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