Tunisian and Mauritanian presidents meet to promote bilateral trade

2008-03-06

Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali welcomed Mauritanian President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdellahi this week for his first state visit to the Mediterranean nation. The two leaders discussed the implementation of various trade agreements and the possibility of a Maghreb summit.

By Jamel Arfaoui for Magharebia in Tunis – 06/03/08

[Getty Images] Following the 15th High Joint Tunisian-Mauritanian Committee in January, Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali invited Mauritanian President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdellahi for a three-day official visit which concluded on Wednesday (March 5th).

Mauritanian President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdellahi concluded a three-day visit to Tunisia on Wednesday (March 5th), his first since being elected in March 2007. Tunisian newspapers published a series of articles favourable to the visit, saying the leaders established new foundations for mutual support.

Abdelaziz Ben Dhia, official spokesman for Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, said, "The two presidents have expressed their relief over the level of the distinguished brotherly relations between Tunisia and Mauritania, and have stressed the importance of intensifying consultations and co-ordination between the two countries and following up on the implementation of agreements reached in the framework of bilateral co-operation."

In his statements to Tunis Afrique Presse, Ben Dhia added: "In his talks with his Mauritanian guest, President Ben Ali stressed the need to work on activating trade exchanges; identifying new fields for co-operation and supporting the contribution of the public sector to the realisation of the economic development goals of the two countries."

The Mauritanian President's visit was preceded by the convocation of the High Joint Tunisian-Mauritanian Committee in its 15th round in Tunis last January, which culminated in the signing of several joint agreements and executive programmes.

According to government sources, the two sides emphasised the need to conclude talks on the establishment of a free trade zone in order to increase the volume of trade between the two countries.

Despite existing co-operation agreements between Tunis and Nouakchott, trade has yet to reach desired levels. According to Tunisian government figures, the volume of trade between Tunisia and Mauritania in 2007 totalled 21.5m dinars, of which Tunisian exports represent about 88%, at 19.5m dinars. Imports from Mauritania amount to just 2.2m dinars.

The two sides are looking to the private sector to help stimulate the level of economic co-operation. A recent assessment identified 60 Tunisian investors and entrepreneurs operating in Mauritania, employing a number of Tunisian experts and some 1,000 Mauritanian workers. In addition to current Tunisian enterprises, there are also joint companies in the farming and fishing sectors expected to be established this year.

Last year, the two sides signed an agreement protocol on oil exploration between the Mauritanian Hydrocarbons Company and the Tunisian Enterprise for Petroleum Activities (ETAP). The High Joint Committee also called for an agreement dividing potential hydrocarbon production between the two countries.

Mauritanian-Tunisian mobile phone provider Mattel has made significant growth in its turnover, with the number of subscribers up in 2007 to nearly 500,000, compared to 239,000 the previous year. In the field of transport, Mauritania Airways was established in 2006, in partnership with Tunis Air. The state of Mauritania owns 51 percent of the company's capital.

The two presidents also vowed to work towards a Maghreb summit, though no possible date was given. Maghreb leaders have not held a summit meeting for several years, and many have called such a meeting necessary to boost the levels of trade in the region. Official statistics place the volume of trade among the five Maghreb countries at less than 4% of regional totals.

The Mauritanian leader's stay in Tunisia also included a cultural tour. On Tuesday morning Abdellahi visited the Carthage Museum, which includes rare monuments and treasures dating back some 3,000 years. The visiting president also toured the Sidi Bousaid districts, which have retained their early Arab Islamic architectural style until today.