Tunisia/Burkina-Faso eye creation of joint business council

Tunis: The Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA) and the National Council of Employers of Burkina Faso (CNPB) signed a partnership agreement aimed at helping create a joint business council.The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Tunisia-Burkina Faso Business Forum, held as part of the 8th session of the Tunisia-Burkina Faso Joint Commission on July 1, 2024 in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso).Chaired by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad Nabil Ammar and Burkina Faso's Minister of Industrial Development, Trade, Handicrafts and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Serge Poda, the forum was attended by UTICA, CNPB and businessmen representing both countries.UTICA President Samir Majoul pointed out that cooperation between Tunisia and Burkina Faso was still falling short of expectations, stressing the need to boost collaboration mechanisms, notably in priority fields such as scientific research, higher education, vocational training, health and infrastru cture.The agreement covers, among other things, the scaling up of cooperation and the increase in meetings and information and expertise sharing between the two countries, he underlined.It also provides for the establishment of a strategic partnership aimed at encouraging accession to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), he added.Tunisia has drawn nearly 3,750 foreign companies, over 75% of which are exporters, Majoul said.Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse