TUNIS, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- An investment forum closed Friday here has provided a stage for Tunisia to show its potential in investment and serve as an attractive destination for global investors, despite the delicacy of the local and regional situation.
The two-day forum "Tunisia Investment 2017" (TIF 2017) attracted over 1,500 global investors, project leaders and financial institutions which discussed to "exploit" business available in various sectors such as manufacturing, pharmaceutical industries, infrastructure and regional development.
On the sidelines of the 2017 TIF, the World Bank approved the financing of projects worth 100 million U.S. dollars in the forestry sector, mainly in the northeastern and central-eastern regions of Tunisia.
"This funding goes hand-in-hand with a supporting program dedicated to Tunisia and financed by the World Bank with a value of 350 million dollars and which will be spread over the next five years," said Jad Salhab, an official of the World Bank in charge of the private sector.
According to him, 60 million dollars will be injected in 2018 into youth-oriented projects in marginalized areas of Tunisia.
The objective is to create employment opportunities for the young people through value chains and small businesses in several fields adapted to their skills.
Meanwhile, the World Bank is planning, in consultation with the Tunisian authorities, to launch another irrigation project in 2018, aiming to strengthen agriculture and to develop the irrigated perimeters of northern Tunisia.
Another part of the World Bank's support plan to Tunisia, with a value of 50 million dollars, will be used to finance Tunisian export promotion through a plan called "Tasdir plus" (Export Plus).
As for the infrastructure and transport sectors, the European Investment Bank (BEI) has signed a 83-million-euro financing agreement with the Tunisian National Railways to support the construction and the implementation of the new suburban RFR (Rapid Rail Network) in Tunis.
"This project will be able to make road access to the capital easier, especially by reducing the emission of greenhouse gases and reducing the pollution," said Flavia Palanza, BEI's operations director.
The city of Tunis will be equipped with a new rapid transit network with two new lines extended by 17 km. In addition, 28 trains will be acquired, the first commissioning of which is scheduled for October 2018.
About 15,600 jobs will be generated by this project which will serve no less than 620,000 inhabitants and 60 percent of the public transport throughout the area.
