15 UAE COMPANIES INVEST IN TUNISIA, MAKING IT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT INVESTMENT DESTINATIONS FOR UAE BUSINESSES
The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ADCCI) stressed the importance of economic and investment collaboration and of increasing joint investment ventures between businessmen and investors in both the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the Republic of Tunisia. This confirmation has come during an extensive meeting held today’s noon between the chamber’s officials chaired by Abdul-Jabbar Al Sayegh, ADCCI Board Member and Head of the Trade Committee. The meeting was attended by Chamber Board Members HE Omeir Al Dhaheri, HE Rashid Al Suwaidi and HE Nasser Al Maamari, and the Tunisian economic delegation led by HE Ridha Fourati, Vice-president of the Sfax Chamber of Commerce & Industry, in the presence of HE Tariq Ba-Al-Tayyib, Tunisian Ambassador to the UAE, HE Mohamed Hilal Al Muhairi, ADCCI Director General, Mr. Mohamed Alneaimi, Executive Director of the Communication and Business Sector, along with representatives of 24 Tunisian companies and a large number of CEOs of companies operating in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
In a speech delivered by him at the very outset of the meeting, Mr. Al Sayegh accentuated the importance of improving the figures of the two-way trade between the two sisterly countries, noting that: “UAE-Tunisian Trade relations have over the past decade witnessed considerable developments, something which is substantiated by the on-going increase in the values of terms of trade between the two brotherly countries as bilateral trade turnover went up to more than 560 million dirhams in 2010 compared to 178 millions in 2009”.
“Economic cooperation between the two countries is not confined to trade exchanges but it goes beyond it to span direct investments, for UAE investments are at the forefront of Arab investments in Tunisia, which is viewed as a key investment destination for UAE companies in various sectors, especially those of tourism and real estate,” he said, calling upon Tunisian companies to consider such opportunities and to help seize them in a manner of benefit to the economy of both countries.
Mr. Al Sayegh also urged UAE companies to make use of opportunities available in the Tunisian market and to identify the latest developments taking place therein.
For his own part, HE Ridha Fourati, Head of the Tunisian Business Delegation, said that: “The Tunisian delegation’s visit comes within the framework of cementing the bonds of fraternity and co-operation gathering companies, businesses and businessmen in either sisterly country together, for the Sfax Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Sfax) and the Abu Dhabi Chamber are connected with advanced ties of co-operation; business and economic communities representing the Sfax Chamber are intended to have collaboration in all fields with an aim of further juxtaposition between economic customers affiliated to either chamber, be it at the level of trade deals, partnerships, investments and all forms of potential cooperation and exchange”.  
A recent economic report published by the chamber on the occasion of the Tunisian economic delegation’s visit has explained that: “22 Tunisian companies are operating in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi; and that the number of Tunisian commercial agencies registered with the competent authorities in the UAE is two”.
The report noted that: “The UAE is a major investing country in the Republic of Tunisia as several Emirati companies are executing investment ventures in Tunisia covering such sectors as those of services, manufacturing industries, tourism and agriculture. There are also robust UAE investments in the sector of building materials and production of electricity”.
It explained as well that about 15 UAE companies besides the Abu Dhabi Development Fund had set up investment projects in Tunisia. Such companies are: Abu Dhabi Investment Company (ADIC), Dana Gas Co., RAK Petroleum, Investment Corporation of Dubai, Gulf Pharmaceutical Industries (Julphar), Emirates International Telecommunications, Global Farma, Dubai Investment Group, Emaar, Thani Investment, Majid Al Futtaim Group and Abraaj Capital.