Tunisia: 25, 3 million dinars earmarked for young promoters’ projects

Tunisia: 25, 3 million dinars earmarked for young promoters’ projects

TUNISIAONLINENEWS- Organized by the Ministry of Industry and Technology in collaboration with the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Tunisia held on Thursday the 30th edition of “Wednesdays of entrepreneurship” (Les Mercredis de l’entreprise), a regular event destined to offer young promoters coaching and advice as to how to set up projects.

During the event, young promoters successfully presented to the banks and investment companies present 48 projects including 28 industrial and 20 service projects involving 25, 3 million dinars. The projects are expected to create some 649 employment opportunities.

Under the theme “Upgrading and modernizing industry”, the event also enabled 37 eligible firms to vie for the upgrading program (Industrial Modernization Program).
Held simultaneously in all governorates of Tunisia and as part of the national campaign for the creation and the development of enterprise, with the support of UTICA and IMP (Industrial Modernization Program funded by the EU), the office of the upgrading and the Industrial Promotion Agency (API), these meetings were chaired by regional governors, representatives of the ministry of industry and technology, support structures, banks and investments companies (SICAR).
The National Modernization Program including the Industrial Modernization Program funded by the EU (50 million Euros) aims at facilitating the integration of the Tunisian industry within the Euro-Mediterranean free trade agreement, were presented by API’s , General Manager, Mr. Noureddine Taktak.
In this context, until the end of 2009, 4534 companies were part of the industrial upgrading program, he noted , adding that , thanks to this program, Tunisia is now the leading southern Mediterranean country in exporting industrial products to the EU.
This performance is due to the increase of the value of exports from 4, 5 billion dinars in 1995 to 18,7 billion dinars in 2008, as well as the increase in number of jobs created in the industry sector which have grown to 488, 000 in 2009 compared with only 236, 000 in 1995.