Bangui set to develop trade relations with Tunis, says President Touadéra

Tunis, Tunisia (PANA) - The president of Central African Republic, Faustin-Archange Touadéra, Wednesday expressed the desire of his country to develop trade and economic relations with Tunisia, an official source here said.

The vice-president of the Tunisian-African business council (TABC), Issam Ben Youssef, who disclosed this here, said President Touadéra also stressed the need to launch an airline between the two countries.

At a meeting with Youssef, the CAR president insisted on the availability of his country to provide the needed support and facilities to strengthen Tunisian investments in his country which has huge potentials that are still unexploited.

Youssef is visiting a certain number of African countries, including Cameroun, to explore Tunisia’s access to the promising African market, either in terms of investment or the strengthening of trade.

"Mr Touadéra has given its first accord to participate in the fourth edition of the International Financing Investment & Trade In Africa (Fita) conference, the annual meeting organised by TABC," Youssef said.

Among the issues raised during the meeting attended by  the CAR minister of Plan, Economy and Cooperation were promising sectors, particularly infrastructure, transport, agriculture and technologies.

The two parties also discussed ways of developing expertise with Tunisia in the areas of health, in view of the number of citizens of Central Africa travelling to Tunisia for medical treatment.

The Central African Republic has huge natural resources: aluminum deposits, copper, gold, diamond, uranium and oil.

Agriculture represents 50 per cent of the country’s GDP. It has recorded relatively sustained economic growth between 2015 and 2017. But in 2013, it recorded a 36.7 per cent drop.

-0-    PANA    YY/IN/IS/MSA/RA   18Nov2020