Tunisia Foreign Investment Promotion Agency holds Paris forum

Tunisia’s Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA) will hold a forum for Tunisians living in France today in Paris.

The forum’s theme is entrepreneurship and investment. It was jointly organized with the Tunisian Foreign Bank, among others. It is intended to encourage Tunisian ex-pats to invest and start businesses in their native country. France remains one of the largest investors in Tunisia.

Tunisia’s GDP contracted 8.8% in 2020 due to the pandemic. With unemployment and public debt still high, Tunis is increasingly looking towards foreign direct investment (FDI) to invigorate the economic recovery. Yet, FDI inflows have proven inconsistent: declining between 2008-2011, they tripled in 2012 only to drop again through 2016. Following bureaucratic reforms, FDI numbers climbed between 2017-2018, before dropping again leading into the pandemic.

Expect the forum to stress the enhanced ease of doing business in Tunisia following further legal reforms in 2019 that eased investment obstacles. Its proximity to Europe makes it an attractive candidate for French investors. Expect increased investment as investors look to diversify their post-pandemic portfolios. Tunisia’s energy sector will likely be a special focus as investors look to combat Europe’s energy crisis, which likely will worsen given further Russian sanctions.