Tunisian and Libyan businessmen discuss concrete partnership projects

Some Tunisian businessmen said on Monday, in Benghazi during a meeting with their Libyan counterparts, that they plan to identify concrete partnership projects and promote co-operation between the two countries through creating joint ventures. Mr. Mohamed Ben Hmida, General Manager of "Amen Santé" Group, which operates private health institutions in Tunisia, expressed hope to find sponsors for funding, in 2012, the building of two clinics in Libyan capital Tripoli and in Benghazi, eastern Libya. "Once carried out, this project will help hire Tunisians in Libya, during the country's reconstruction period, which requires all construction specialties, and later, i.e., during its entering into operation," he told TAP special correspondent in Benghazi. According to Mr. Ben Hmida, the two clinics will need to hire nearly 1000 medical and paramedical senior executives (doctors, nurses, etc.). "Amen Santé" is therefore counting on the improvement of the business climate in Libya, on the one hand, and on the Group's expertise in this field on the other, the official explained. For Mr. Walid Hlal, deputy General Manager of "Delta Impression" company, the participation in this mission in Libya aims to mark out the demands of the Libyan market in printing, packaging and conditioning of food products, medicaments and spare parts. On the basis of a preliminary diagnosis, the company will identify an exportation plan for these products to the Libyan market, he added. Mr. Nafti Adouni, head of the development department in an enterprise specialised in engineering and achievement projects, pointed out that his firm strives to provide assistance for technology transfer to develop oil fields in Libya and water processing in this country's oil companies. The company already has two offices in Tripoli and Benghazi, in addition to an office in Tunisia which employs more than 300 agents. The enterprise has the capacity to create about 1,000 jobs in Libya, as is the case of the experience of the company in Algeria. Mr. Samir Ben Charifa, director-general of a hotel and tourism group based in Sousse, "Karkouen Hotels," said that the aim of his visit to Benghazi is to get in touch with Libyan partners for the development of one of his projects in Sousse. The hotel managing director expressed will to create tourist projects in Libya, "if the Libyan authorities give assurances to the investors," he commented. "The city is endowed with a promising natural potentials and our group is capable to ensure the required assistance, notably in the training field", he underlined. From the Libyan side, the businessmen who took part in this meeting, pointed out that this kind of visit will undoubtedly strengthen the co-operation and partnership ties between Libya and Tunisia, recommending, however, to grant further efficiency to these events by means of organising sectoral meetings. Mr. Hassan Bik, general delegate of the Libyan "Al Mahabba" group, said that the group will recruit some 500 workers in the restaurant services for the benefit of the oil companies operating in Libya. He added that one of the branches of the Libyan group employs about 400 persons in Tunisia. This mission of 70 Tunisian businessmen in Libya is organised, on December 18-20, 2011, by the Confederation of Enterprises of Tunisia Citizens (CONECT). It aims to co-ordinate action for the achievement of the two Tunisian and Libyan Revolutions' objectives, including notably the contribution in economic development of the two countries.