Qatar and Tunisia set to boost bilateral ties Qatari businessmen invited

DOHA: The current visit of Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi to Qatar is expected to boost relations between the two countries, especially in the labour sector, according to Zied Ladhari, Minister of Employment and Training of Tunisia.

Essebsi arrived here yesterday on a three-day official visit. He was received at the Hamad International Airport by the Minister of Finance H E Ali Sherif Al Emadi, Qatar’s Ambassador to Tunisia Abdullah bin Nasser Al Humaidi and Tunisian Ambassador to Qatar Salah Al Salhi. Several new agreements in economic, security and other sectors are expected to be signed during the visit.

In an interview with the Qatar News Agency in Tunis on the occasion of the visit of the Tunisian President, Ladhari hoped that the current visit would give new push to cooperation between the two countries in the labour sector.

“Our cooperation with Qatar in the labour sector goes back to 1981 with the signing of an agreement between Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Qatar and the Ministry of Social Affairs of Tunisia, followed by other agreements,” said Ladhari.

The number of Tunisian workers in Qatar is significant and Qatar’s labour market has a great potential due to the comprehensive economic development the country is witnessing, he added. He said Tunisia is ready to cooperate with Qatar in vocational and professional training and development.

The skilled Tunisian labour force can support the development taking place in Qatar and “our professional training institutions can have bigger role in this regard,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Qatari - Tunisian Business Council yesterday reviewed ways to enhance economic cooperation and to identify the investment opportunities available in both countries, during a meeting held at the headquarters of Qatar Chamber.

Businessmen from Qatar invited to Tunisia

A number of Qatari businessmen and their Tunisian counterparts representing various sectors like agriculture and building material, tourism, medicine and mineral processing industries were present.

Addressing at the meeting, Abdulrahman bin Abdullah Al Ansari, representing the Qatari side said that the relations between Qatar and Tunisia have seen a remarkable development on all private intra-regional trade levels and the private sector in the two countries has a clear desire to strengthen economic ties.

He noted that the two sides have so far signed 15 conventions and protocols related to economic, financial, cultural, intellectual, educational and technological sectors.

Al Ansari stressed the need for giving attention to tourism sector and raise awareness among businessmen of the two countries, and its importance in achieving economic diversification.

Mohamed Alkaali, head of the Tunisian side expressed the hope that the private sector in both countries would expand partnership and the Qatari -Tunisian Business Council would contribute to increasing joint investments.

Alkaali called on the Qatari side to take advantage of investment opportunities in Tunisia.

The Tunisian side extended an invitation to the Qatari businessmen to visit Tunisia to get acquainted with the investment atmosphere and available opportunities in the country.

The Peninsula