Tunisia is a kind of Mediterranean gateway to Africa, Türkiye's ambassador to the country, Ahmet Misbah Demircan, said in an interview published Monday, highlighting the robust commercial ties between the two nations.
"Tunisia is a country of tourism, agriculture, phosphate, dates, olive oil, and more," Demircan told the Franchising.market platform, adding that it sources many goods from Europe, Türkiye and China.
"Currently, we have $1.2 billion in exports across all sectors to Tunisia," he added.
"Our cultural closeness and the trust Tunisians have in our country and products are at a very high level," he said.
"Direct trade and semi-finished goods production are possible in Tunisia. Software, energy infrastructure, tourism, agriculture, and the export of industrial spare parts and raw materials are seen as opportunity areas," he added.
At the same time, he pointed to education and said that 1,600 Tunisian students are studying in Türkiye.
Furthermore, he cited its tourism appeal, while also underscoring the North African country's role as "a gateway," and also as "a hub."
"In line with our country’s African Partnership Policy, it’s fair to say that Tunisia holds a unique potential as a base for Türkiye’s access to Sub-Saharan Africa," Demircan said.
"Tunisia is essentially the gateway of the Mediterranean to Africa. We want to further highlight Tunisia’s role as a hub. I emphasize this potential of Tunisia at every opportunity and level in our country," he explained.
The ambassador also cited the historic ties and drew attention to what he said was "trust" of Tunisians for Turkish products.
"We can say that the visit of our trade minister, Mr. Ömer Bolat, to Tunisia on June 25, 2024, was a major milestone in our bilateral relations," he furthered.
"Our country has made investments worth $712 million in Tunisia," he added.
Moreover, he said that some 43 Turkish companies provide employment to 2,088 people in Tunisia. He also cited that investments span various sectors, including services, food industry, textiles and ready-to-wear, metal, construction materials, plastics, chemicals, and transportation.
Demircan also said that as the gateway to Africa, Tunisia was "a very important partner and a long-standing friend for Türkiye."
"It is a stable and significant export market for our country," he said, adding that the free trade agreement (FTA) that entered into force in 2014 has enabled trade to expand across a wide spectrum.
"Textiles, iron-steel-metal, and machinery equipment stand out as the main areas of our exports," he maintained.
From a franchise and retail perspective, the recognition of Turkish food, textile, and industrial products in Tunisia is "quite high," according to the ambassador.
"In food exports, products like Turkish delight, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, walnuts, and pine nuts are among the top items. Many well-known Turkish textile and ready-to-wear brands already have franchise stores in Tunisia, and these brands are well-received," he elaborated.
Referring to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's "equal partnership" vision regarding relations with African nations, Demircan said they are "ready to work on cooperation and investment opportunities in all areas on a win-win basis."
"We firmly believe that the economic potential between us and Tunisia – viewed as the entry point to the Maghreb and Africa – will be realized in the near future."
Answering the question related to incentives that Tunisian authorities offer to foreign investors, he cited some key priority sectors that Tunisia promotes, such as nanotechnology, biotechnology, electronics industry, food industry, automotive, aerospace, maritime, railway industry, textile and apparel industry, information and communication technologies, and renewable energy sectors.
He also mentioned trade as an inseparable part of diplomacy, while also pointing to the role of the private sector. "The private sector not only advances our economic ties, but also contributes to strengthening the relations between our countries, which are connected by history and geography," he said.
