8,041 Tunisian aid workers contracted with GCC bodies

The Tunisian Agency for Technical Co-operation (ATCT) recorded a slight increase in the number of Tunisian aid workers and national experts abroad, which reached 10,529 to July 31, 2011 compared with 10,425 in 2010, Amor Jilani, Director General of the Agency has announced. In press statements published here on Friday, Jilani said that the ATCT has identified 8,041 Tunisian workers in the six Gulf Arab countries, 283 in Africa (Morocco, Senegal, Algeria, Djibouti, Sudan?), 1,106 in Europe (Italy, France, Belgium, Great Britain), 561 in America, 517 in international organizations and 20 in Asian countries (Malaysia, Japan...) and only one in Australia. These co-operation contracts involve essentially the sectors of education and sports (4,730), health (2,859), electricity and techanics (769), administration, (737) tourism (609), engineering (214), agriculture and fishing (119). In terms of recruitment, ATCT recorded the hiring of 659 workers in Gulf countries, Arab countries, Italy, France, the United States, Canada and international organizations. Recruitment involves essentially the sectors of high and technical education (123), paramedics (113), administration (80), higher education (66). Jilani said the ATCT is facing several challenges including: a difficult balance between the needs of the national market and foreign demands (health, energy, higher education...), the presence of sharp competition from foreign nationalities in addition to the difficulties faced in recruitment in some European countries, Canada and Australia (immigration problems).