L. Fituni, I. Abramova Resource Potential of Africa and Russia's ...

From October 21–23, 2010, the Fourth session of the Tunisian-
Russian joint Committee on trade and economic cooperation took
place in Moscow. Mr. Ridha Ben Mosbah, the Tunisian Minister of
Trade and Handicrafts, paid a working visit to Russia. The Minister
co-chaired the joint committee with the Russian Minister of Sports,
Tourism and Youth, Mr. Vitaly Mutko.
A Tunisian delegation including Chairman and Managing Director
of the Exports Promotion Centre (CEPEX) and the Director
General of the National Handicrafts Board (ONA), representatives
from several concerned ministries, Tunisia’s Central Bank, the
Mines Office and the Tunisian National Tourism Board (ONTT)
also took part in the meeting.
The 4th session of the joint committee was an opportunity to assess
bilateral co-operation in different sectors and examine prospects
for its development. It also focused on ways and means to boost
economic and partnership relations between both countries.
In this context, the two sides agreed on several concrete actions,
particularly the establishment of economic days and the promotion
of Tunisian exports in the Russian market in Moscow in May 2011,
the participation in different economic events held in both countries
as well as the invitation of Russian business delegations to take part
in the next editions of the “TEXMED” exhibition and the Carthage
Investment Forum.
The committee also dealt with ways to strengthen partnership
and the flows of Russian investments in Tunisia, especially with
regard to development and infrastructure projects scheduled in the
12th development plan and regarding particularly energy, water resources
and mines.
Recommendations of the committee provided for further boosting
of bilateral co-operation in several priority sectors, particularly
education, university studies, professional training, health, agriculture
and tourism through an exchange of expertise and information
on regulations and development policies in these sectors.
At the end of the committee’s works, the two ministers signed the
session’s minutes. Moreover, a co-operation program in the sports
sector for 2011 was signed between the two countries. During his stay
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