At a press conference held in the recess of high-level talks organised in Budapest on Wednesday, State Secretary of the Tunisian Ministry that supervises international trade relations and foreign investment Alaya Bettaieb declared that economic relations between Hungary and Tunisia may be significantly expanded.

The State Secretary, who is also Co-President of the Hungarian-Tunisian Intergovernmental Economic Joint Committee, pointed out that 3200 foreign companies are operating in Tunisia, of which only two are Hungarian. For this reason, he said, there are opportunities for increasing economic relations in practically every field.

He stressed that he sees a good opportunity for Hungarian companies to cooperate in the development of the Tunisian economy, in agriculture, energetics, transport and the service sectors. The Tunisian economy has become more transparent following the revolution there, he added.

Deputy State Secretary of the Ministry of Rural Development responsible for Food Chain Supervision and the Agricultural Economy Lajos Bognár, who is also the Hungarian Co-President of the Hungarian-Tunisian Intergovernmental Economic Joint Committee, told the press that among others Hungary could best iad the development of the North African country within the fields of technology development, agriculture, the pharmaceutical industry and telecommunications.

He also mentioned agriculture, freshwater fisheries, water management and environmental protection as areas in which Hungary could contribute to moving the Tunisian economy forward in a constructive manner under mutually favourable conditions.

An cooperation agreement between the representative organisations of Hungarian and Tunisian businessmen was also signed during the press conference. The agreement, which defines the basis and scope of activities of the Tunisian-Hungarian Trade Council, was signed by the new body's two Co-Presidents, Zoubeir Chaieb representing Tunisia and Sándor Balogh in representation of Hungary.

One of the programs of Wednesday's session of the Hungarian-Tunisian Intergovernmental Economic Joint Committee was an economic forum and meeting of businessmen VII. Africa Summit – MAGHREB Renaissance, hosted by the Budapest Chamber of Industry.

The organisation of the economic forum is closely related to the fundamental objectives of the Hungarian Government's foreign economic policy; the strengthening of the position of Hungarian enterprises by "opening up" towards markets in countries outside Europe.

(Press Office of the Ministry of Rural Development)