Economic and investment issues are on the agenda of the Tunisian President, Kais Said, during his first visit to Qatar at the start of a Gulf tour, amid hopes of achieving important investments and agreements in vital sectors, especially in the transport, tourism and telecommunications sectors.

The Tunisian President, who after his arrival in Doha met with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and will be followed by meetings with the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, hopes that This visit achieves its purpose in the economic aspect to alleviate the pressure facing the Tunisian economy.

Trade exchange between Qatar and Tunisia recorded an increase of 321% over the past three years, with an annual growth rate of about 101%, as Qatar is at the forefront of the Arab countries investing in Tunisia, as its investments represent about 43% of the total foreign investment in the country, according to official figures issued by the agency. Promoting foreign investment.

And Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, during his visit to Tunisia last February, expressed his country's readiness to contribute to two major projects that Tunisia is seeking to establish.

They are a healthy city in the governorate of Kairouan (central Tunisia), and a platform for transforming agricultural products in the governorate of Sidi Bouzid.

Tunisia and Doha have a common desire to develop all relations between the two countries, especially in the economic sector (the island)

The largest Arab investor

Qatari economic expert Abdullah Al-Khater believes that the economy is one of the main goals of the Tunisian president's visit to Qatar.

But of course, there are many other political files that President Qais Saeed will discuss during his visit to Doha.

He stressed that Tunisia, which has been able to achieve a peaceful democratic transformation, popular participation and the rule of law, is looking forward to searching for economic relations that will help it in the next phase to create jobs and revive the country's macroeconomic environment, pointing out that as Qatar is the largest Arab investor in Tunisia, the Tunisian president’s tour in the Gulf was beginning Doha.

Al-Khater clarifies, in an interview with Al-Jazeera Net, that Qatar's economic capacity and strength, its capabilities in the field of clean energy, its relations at the international level, and its possession of various economic keys, which have proven successful on many occasions, have made it a destination for many countries that seek foreign investments or investment opportunities. New.

The Qatari economic expert added that Tunisia and Doha have a common desire to develop all relations between the two countries, especially in the economic sector, indicating that Tunisia is looking for a strong partner capable of fulfilling its obligations in light of these difficult circumstances imposed by the Corona pandemic.

Al-Khater added that the State of Qatar has been keen for a long time to create new job opportunities in the Tunisian economy through investment, as well as creating job opportunities in the State of Qatar for Tunisian citizens, whose number has reached more than 30,000 Tunisians working in Qatar.

Qatari investments in Tunisia vary between the tourism, services and telecommunications sectors, as well as investments in financial portfolios and banks (Al-Jazeera)

Comparison showing cooperation

Dr. Ahmed Al-Qadidi, former Tunisian ambassador to Doha, believes that strategic cooperation between the two countries is progressing at an accelerating pace during the recent period, noting that when he was Tunisia's ambassador to Doha 10 years ago, the Tunisian community in Qatar did not exceed 8,000, while it has now reached more than 8,000. From 30 thousand indications of increased cooperation between the two countries in all fields.

Al-Qudaidi added that the manifestations of cooperation between the two countries included all areas such as agriculture, security, defense and tourism, noting that the joint supreme committee between the two countries held its meetings regularly, and made great leaps in the economic field, and transferred cooperation between the two countries to strategic cooperation.

The former Tunisian ambassador to Doha considered that the Tunisian people will not forget the positions of the State of Qatar and its white hands, the last of which was the donation of a field hospital to Tunisia in the wake of the Corona pandemic, which eased the pressure on the health sector in the country.

Qatari investments in Tunisia are divided between the tourism, services and telecommunications sectors, as well as investments in financial portfolios and banks ... The two countries have more than 80 economic cooperation agreements, including 10 that were signed in 2019.