A high-level Italian business delegation concluded a landmark mission to Tunisia Sunday, branding the event an “absolutely positive outcome” and a significant step in bolstering economic ties under the “Investment Africa 2025” initiative. The mission, which featured over 30 Italian companies, has been positioned as the first in a series of strategic engagements across the African continent.
The event was organized through a collaboration between the Italian-Tunisian Delta Center, founded by Sandro Fratini, Confimprese Italia, led by Guido D’Amico, and the Tunisian employer federation CONECT, under Aslan Berjeb.
Massimo Ruspandini, Deputy Group Leader of the Brothers of Italy (FdI) party in the Chamber of Deputies, described the mission to “Nova Agency” as “another piece in the virtuous cooperation between Italy and Tunisia.” He praised the “welcoming population” as an “unmistakable sign of the strong relationship between Italians and Tunisians, two historically close friends.”
Ruspandini highlighted the strategic opportunities presented by the Italian government’s Mattei Plan. “The nearly 10,000 Italians residing in Tunis and the nearly 1,000 businesses operating here are tangible proof of our presence,” he stated, emphasizing an Italian approach of “equal cooperation, aimed at fostering the growth of the people.”
Exceeding Expectations and Forging New Paths
Organizers reported that the mission surpassed all expectations. Sandro Fratini, President of the Delta Center, revealed that approximately 240 bilateral meetings were organized between Italian and Tunisian companies. He also announced that Tunis is just the beginning of a wider continental strategy, thanks to an agreement with Confimprese Italia.
“After Tunis, we will be in Senegal on October 7th and 8th to lay the groundwork for a future initiative,” Fratini told “Nova,” outlining an ambitious roadmap. “This will be followed by Egypt, Mauritania, Libya, and Algeria: these are the countries we intend to focus on, bringing opportunities to Italian and international investors.”
The institutional weight of the mission was underscored by the support of the Italian Ambassador to Tunisia, Alessandro Prunas, who, during his inaugural speech at the Carthage Thalasso Hotel in Gammarth, commended the collaboration between local organizations that ensured the event’s success.
A Model for Future Collaboration
Guido D’Amico, President of Confimprese Italia, expressed “full satisfaction” with the outcomes. The mission included an institutional day dedicated to internationalization debates and a packed schedule of B2B meetings, attracting over 250 Tunisian and African companies.
D’Amico detailed that the delegation’s agenda also included high-level institutional visits, including a meeting with Ambassador Prunas and tours of key industrial sites like the El.Com factories and Colacem, a leading Italian cement producer in Tunisia.
Looking ahead, D’Amico revealed to “Nova” plans to institutionalize this partnership. “Next year, on the occasion of our thirtieth anniversary, we have already invited both CONECT and the Italian-Tunisian Chamber of Commerce to our panel on internationalization, an event that will be repeated annually,” he announced, signaling a long-term commitment to strengthening the economic bridge between Italy and North Africa.
TunisianMonitorOnline (NejiMed)
