By Sami Zaptia.
London, 12 March 2021:
The Tunisian-Libyan Economic Forum, organized by the Tunisian-African Business Council, started yesterday in Sfax under the banner: “The Forum of Hope and Challenge to Build an Integrated Economy”.
The forum aims to boost economic relations between Tunisia and Libya to levels nearer those enjoyed by both countries before the 2011 Libyan revolution and to pre-Coronavirus times.
Specifically, there were calls for the reduction or removal of barriers to trade, including bureaucracy and doing away with payment through hard currency as well as activating existing agreements between the two countries.
The event received great support from companies from both countries as well as ministerial support.
The endorsement of the new Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba-led Government of National Unity (GNU) by Libya’s parliament Wednesday was seen as a positive step that will reflect positively on bilateral trade.
Lively workshops
After the set piece opening introductions and speeches, there then followed three themed workshops which enjoyed lively interaction between speakers and business leaders. The subjects covered included; increased public-private partnership (PPP), food sovereignty, increased bilateral economic integration, the prioritization of each other’s’ products over third country products, and securing a greater share of sub-Saharan African market. Company exhibitions and B2B meetings
On the side-lines of the main event, companies exhibited their products
An exhibition of Tunisian products was organized On the side-lines of the forum, several companies exhibited their products and services at their stands.
There was also an area set aside for B2B meetings.
Field visits by the Libyan delegation to a number of economic institutions and companies in Sfax are also organized for the Libyan delegates .
3rd Tunisian-Libyan Economic Forum, Sfax 11 March | (libyaherald.com)